What is Sorbitol?
Glucitol is a sugar alcohol that is commonly used as a low-calorie sweetener and food additive. It can be found naturally in berries and stone fruits or produced industrially from corn or wheat. Glucitol has around 60% of the sweetening power of sucrose (table sugar) but contains only around 2.6 calories per gram compared to sucrose's 4 calories per gram.
How is it Sorbitol?
Industrially, Glucitol is produced through the hydrogenation of glucose, a simple sugar. Glucose is obtained from starch through hydrolysis. Hydrogen gas is then added to glucose using a nickel catalyst in the presence of an alkali such as sodium hydroxide or potassium hydroxide. This hydrogenation process gradually reduces the carbonyl group in glucose to a secondary alcohol group, yielding Glucitol. The Glucitol is then purified through crystallization before use.
Use as a Sugar Substitute
Due to its low calorie content, Glucitol is widely used as a sugar substitute in foods such as chewing gum, hard candies, mints, and certain desserts where sweetness is desired but additional calories are to be avoided. Sorbitol It imparts bulk and provides 60% of the sweetness of sugar while using far fewer calories. Glucitol is often combined with other sugar alcohols like xylitol, mannitol, or maltitol in sugar-free candies and chewing gum.
Use in Diet and Low-Carb Foods
Related to its use as a low-calorie sweetener, Glucitol is commonly found in diet and reduced-calorie foods as well as foods marketed as low-carb. It allows for the formulation of low-sugar or sugar-free baked goods, snacks, desserts and beverages. Foods labeled as sugar-free have often replaced sugar with Glucitol in order to lower the glycemic index and calorie content while maintaining some sweetness. However, due to its lower digestibility, Glucitol may cause gastrointestinal side effects if consumed in large amounts.
Use as a Humectant
In addition to its use as a sweetener, Glucitol functions as a humectant in foods and personal care products. As a humectant, it helps retain moisture and prevent dryness. Glucitol prevents moisture loss in foods like baked goods, dried fruit, candy, chewing gum and powdered beverages. In personal care products like lotions, creams and hair conditioners, Glucitol helps hydrate skin and hair.
Use in Pharmaceutical Products
Due to its low glycemic index, reduced calorie content and ability to impart bulk, Glucitol is used in some chewable or liquids pharmaceutical preparations. It can be used as a sweetener and bulking agent in chewable vitamins, cold remedies and laxative medications. Some Glucitol-containing medications that are commonly available include pediatric cough syrups and chewable vitamins. Glucitol is considered safe for use in children's medicines due to its non-digestibility and low absorption rate.
Side Effects of Consuming Large Amounts
While generally recognized as safe, Glucitol may cause gastrointestinal side effects like gas, bloating, cramps and diarrhea if consumed in very large amounts, typically over 50 grams per day. This is due to Glucitol’s tendency to draw water into the colon but not be fully absorbed, leading to an osmotic effect. People who are sensitive to fructose or suffer from IBS may experience more prominent side effects from high Glucitol intake. Chronic, high-level intake has not been associated with any long-term health issues.
As a reduced-calorie sweetener and functional ingredient, Glucitol continues to play an important role in the food industry and helps enable the formulation of lower sugar, low-calorie and glycemic index foods. With the increasing market focus on health, wellness and diabetes management, products containing sugar alcohols like Glucitol are expected to remain in high demand from both consumers and food manufacturers. With its clean taste profile and multitude of functional benefits, Glucitol looks poised to remain a staple additive in the global food supply for years to come.
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