Dextrose Monohydrate (D-glucose) is a sugar that's a stable, odorless, white crystalline powder or colorless crystal. 

In its pure form, it has a dextrose equivalency (DE) of 100, which indicates that it's 100% pure Dextrose, not a mixture with other substances as well. 

Dextrose is commercially available in monohydrate or anhydrate form.

Monohydrate substances contain one water molecule, referred to as a molecule of water of hydration. These water molecules are said to be "coordinated" to the substance, which indicates a type of loose chemical linkage. 

Dextrose Monohydrate is a sugar that contains one molecule of water per dextrose molecule, i.e. for every dextrose molecule, there is a water molecule loosely linked. 

If a material is deemed anhydrate, it doesn't contain water. Dextrose is available in the anhydrate form as well, a.k.a. Dextrose Anhydrate; however, it's used mainly in the pharmaceutical industry. 

Different Dextrose Uses

The level of hydration has a lot to do with how a substance is used and is determined by how dextrose is made. 

Dextrose Monohydrate uses in the food industry are vast. The coordinated water lends the desired physical properties for food manufacturing. 

These can include:

• boiling and freezing/melting points
• preservation
• humectancy
• sweetness
• browning reaction effects
• gelation
• viscosity

Note: Dextrose Anhydrate is more commonly used in pharmaceuticals, where more stringent conditions regarding dryness are generally required.