Any single polysaccharide, or the mixture of "intermediate" (on their way to being fully broken down into simple sugars) polysaccharides that are produced during the hydrolysis (breakdown) of starch. Dextrins are water-soluble and dextrorotary (term describing molecule), tbey can be precipitated in alcohol and they can be branched or linear (straight) molecules. The dextrins include the amylodextrins, the achroodextrins, and the erythrodextrins. Dextrin is also an official preparation made from starch, that is used as a suspending agent in foods and other preparations, as a tablet binder in oral tablets, and as a viscosity increaser.