SORBITOL

Sorbitol, less commonly known as glucitol, is a type of carbohydrate called a sugar alcohol, or polyol with a sweet taste which the human body metabolizes slowly. Sorbitol is commercially produced from glucose. It contains about one-third fewer calories than sugar and is 60 percent as sweet. Most sorbitol is made from potato starch, but it is also found in nature, for example in apples, pears, berries, peaches, and prunes. In food industry it is used as an additive in the form of an artificial sweetener, humectant, emulsifier, thickener, or dietary supplement. Sorbitol has also been found in cosmetics, paper, and pharmaceuticals.