Sugar Alcohols

Sugar alcohols, also called polyhydric alcohols or polyols, are natural sugar replacers. There are seven sugar alcohols approved internationally for use in food products, i.e. sorbitol (E420), mannitol (E421), isomalt (E953), maltitol (E965), lactitol (E966), xylitol (E967) and erythritol (E968). They are hydrogenated forms of mono- (erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol), di- (lactitol, isomalt, maltitol), or polysaccharides (maltitol and sorbitol syrups). Among their advantages, which are appreciated by consumers and producers, is lower caloric value, comparable to sucrose sweetness and low glycemic index. Moreover, they exhibit prebiotic and anti-caries effects, which allow on their usage in sugar-reduced foods and tooth-friendly products. They all can be used as bulking agents that can substitute sugar in 1:1 ratio and eliminate improper taste of intense sweeteners. However, their presence in food products must be accompanied with the notice on the package stating that excessive consumption might result in laxative effect. Nevertheless, they were thoroughly investigated in trials conducted on animals and humans and no health risk was found, thus, no ADI have been specified for whole group.