Title: Alternative Sweeteners

Sorbitol and Mannitol 333
Mannitol is permitted in food on an interim basis, 21 CFR 180.25 (mannitol)
(15). Sugar-free foods sweetened with sorbitol and mannitol may bear the ‘‘does
not promote tooth decay’’ health claim in accordance with U.S. regulations (16).
The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization
Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) has reviewed the safety data for
both sorbitol and mannitol and determined they are safe. JECFA has established
an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for sorbitol of ‘‘not specified,’’ meaning no
limits are placed on its use (17). JECFA has allocated a temporary ADI of 0–
50 mg/kg for mannitol (18).
Sorbitol solution 70%, noncrystallizing sorbitol solution 70%, crystalline
sorbitol, and mannitol all have monographs in the United States Pharmacopoeia/
National Formulary (USP/NF), as well as the various pharmacopoeias around
the world (European, British, Japanese, etc.). Sorbitol and mannitol are also included
in the Food Chemical Codex (FCC).
VII. SUMMARY
Sorbitol and mannitol are naturally occurring sugar alcohols found in animals
and plants. They are present in small quantities in almost all vegetables. They
are widely used in specialty foods and pharmaceuticals. Sorbitol and mannitol
are important ingredients in sugar-free baked goods, candies, chewing gum, and
tablets. The sweet, cool taste of sorbitol and mannitol makes them useful for
many taste-masking or sweetening applications. Their unique moisture retention
properties make them useful in improving the shelf-life of food products. The
nonhygroscopic nature and chemical inertness of mannitol are attractive benefits
for pharmaceutical tablets. Sorbitol and mannitol have a wide variety of uses as
evidenced by the tremendous number of applications in which they are found.
REFERENCES
1. I Mellan. Polyhydric Alcohols. Washington, DC: McGregor & Werner, 1962, pp
185–202.
2. JW DuRoss. Modification of the crystalline structure of sorbitol and its effects on
tableting characteristics. Pharm Technol 8:50–56, 1984.
3. JW DuRoss. Modified crystalline sorbitol. Manuf Confect 35–41, 1982.
4. B Debord, C Lefebvre, AM Guyot-Hermann, J Hubert, R Bouche, JC Guyot. Study
of different crystalline forms of mannitol: comparative behaviour under compression.
Drug Devl Indust Pharm 13:1533–1546, 1987.
5. DA Wadke, ATM Serajuddin, H Jacobson. Preformulation testing. In: HA Lieberman,
L Lachman, JB Schwartz, ed. Pharmaceutical Dosage Forms: Tablets. Vol. 1.
New York: Marcel Dekker, 1989, pp 1–69.