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| Names | |
|---|---|
| IUPAC name 4-O-α-D-Glucopyranosyl-D-glucitol | |
| Identifiers | |
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3D model (JSmol) | |
| ChEMBL | |
| ChemSpider |
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| ECHA InfoCard | 100.008.699 |
| E number | E965(glazing agents, ...) |
| UNII | |
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| Properties | |
| C12H24O11 | |
| Molar mass | 344.313 g·mol−1 |
| Melting point | 145 °C (293 °F; 418 K) |
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in theirstandard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). | |
Maltitol is asugar alcohol (apolyol) used as asugar substitute andlaxative. It has 75–90% of the sweetness ofsucrose (table sugar) and nearly identical properties, except forbrowning. It is used to replace table sugar because it is half ascalorific, does not promote tooth decay, and has a somewhat lesser effect onblood glucose. In chemical terms, maltitol is known as4-O-α-glucopyranosyl-D-sorbitol. It is used in commercial products under trade names such as Lesys, Maltisweet and SweetPearl.[1]
Maltitol is adisaccharide produced byhydrogenation ofmaltose obtained fromstarch.Maltitol syrup, ahydrogenated starch hydrolysate, is produced by hydrogenatingcorn syrup, a mixture of carbohydrates produced from thehydrolysis of starch. This product contains between 50% and 80% maltitol by weight. The remainder is mostlysorbitol, with a small quantity of other sugar-related substances.[2]
Maltitol's highsweetness allows it to be used without being mixed with other sweeteners. It exhibits a negligible cooling effect (positiveheat of solution) in comparison with othersugar alcohols, similar to the subtle cooling effect ofsucrose.[3]It is used in candy manufacture, particularly sugar-freehard candy,chewing gum,chocolates,baked goods, andice cream. The pharmaceutical industry uses maltitol as anexcipient, where it is used as a low-calorie sweetening agent. Its similarity tosucrose allows it to be used in syrups with the advantage thatcrystallization (which may cause bottle caps to stick) is less likely. Maltitol may also be used as aplasticizer ingelatin capsules, as anemollient, and as ahumectant.[4]
Maltitol provides between 2 and 3kilocalories per gram [kcal/g] (8–10 kJ/g).[5] Maltitol is largely unaffected by human digestive enzymes and is fermented bygut flora, with about 15% of the ingested maltitol excreted unchanged in the feces.[6]
Maltitol in its crystallized form measures the same (bulk) astable sugar, but does notcaramelize nor participate inMaillard reactions upon heating due to its relative chemical inertness.[7][8] The crystallized form is readily dissolved in warm liquids (≈ 50 °C (120 °F) and above); the powdered form is preferred if room-temperature or cold liquids are used. Due to its sucrose-like structure, maltitol is easy to produce and made commercially available in crystallized, powdered, and syrup forms.
It is not metabolized byoral bacteria, so it does not promotetooth decay.[1] It is more slowly absorbed than sucrose, a desirable property fordiet in diabetes.
Like othersugar alcohols (with the possible exception oferythritol), maltitol has alaxative effect,[9] typically causingdiarrhea at a daily consumption above about 90 g.[10] Doses of about 40 g may cause mildborborygmus (stomach and bowel sounds) andflatulence.[11]
Media related toMaltitol at Wikimedia Commons
