Chemical and Functional Properties of Food Saccharides

© 2004 by CRC Press LLC
TABLE 2.2
Structure and Occurrence of Alditol
Name Occurrence and Application
D-Ribitol Occurs in the plants, constituent of riboflavin
(vitamin B2), teichoic acids
D-Xylitol Isolated from field mushrooms; occurs in
pentosans that accumulate as agricultural waste
products (e.g., corncobs);
sweetening properties similar to that of sucrose
D-Glucitol
(sorbitol, sorbite)
Found in apples, pears, cherries, apricots; byproduct
in the synthesis of vitamin C;
physiological function: conversion into liver
glycogen; sugar substitute in dietetic food
formulation; softener, crystallization inhibitor,
additive in lyophilized food preparation
D-Mannitol Found in exudates of plants, olive, plane trees,
marine alga, mushrooms, onion; physiological
function: energy storage