White dextrin is white in colour but with reduces the starch molecules into smaller components. Its cold water solubility ranges from 25% to 65%. The higher solubility can be used at much higher concentration to yield very soft gels.
Yellow dextrins are used as water-soluble glues in remoistable envelope adhesives and paper tubes, in the mining industry as additives in froth flotation, in the foundry industry as green strength additives in sand casting, as printing thickener for batik resist dyeing, and as binders in gouache paint.