Where Sorbitol Comes from and How It’s Used
Sorbitol, also known as glucitol, naturally occurs in many stone fruits, such as apricots, peaches, and nectarines. It can also be extracted from apples and berries. Laboratories synthesize glucose to produce sorbitol, and manufacturers find glucose from corn, which contains almost 100% glucose, to be the ultimate source for sorbitol.
What exactly is sorbitol, then, and why would manufacturers go through the trouble of converting corn glucose to sorbitol? Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem can answer that question and tell you how this important sweetener is used across industries.
Health and wellness
Patients with diabetes find sorbitol gives them the taste they crave without sugar alcohol being fully absorbed in the digestive system. In fact, only 50%-80% of sorbitol is absorbed independent of insulin to be converted to glycogen in the liver, and over 100 years of studies on sorbitol prove its efficiency for diabetic patients. Sorbitol does not spike blood sugar levels since lower levels of insulin are secreted by the liver.
Sorbitol can also be used topically. The surfactant power of sorbitol loosens debris from the scalp while its water solubility wicks that debris away. As a humectant, sorbitol can also maintain a proper level of moisture when added to shampoo, conditioner, or other hair care products.
Pharmaceuticals
The majority of pharmaceutical tablets contain sorbitol as an ingredient, and many over-the-counter medications rely on sorbitol’s sweet flavor.
Table sugar causes dental cavities. The Food and Drug Administration has deemed sorbitol beneficial since it is not metabolized by oral bacteria; therefore, bacteria are unable to survive and form cavities. When added to toothpaste and other oral pharmaceuticals, sorbitol leaves the mouth feeling fresh.
The epidermis is a physical barrier, protecting our internal organs from environmental harm. When sorbitol is applied externally, skin is more quickly repaired as moisture is maintained.
Foods and beverages
As a sugar alcohol, sorbitol’s lower caloric value (approximately 2.6 calories per gram) gives it a starring role in low-calorie and sugar-free foods, specifically chewing gum.
In packaged foods and confections, sorbitol acts as a humectant and preservative, retaining moisture as it repels bacterial growth. As an ingredient, sorbitol balances the varied flavors within foods, giving a much more harmonized flavor.
Polyurethane manufacturing
As a polyol alcohol with multiple hydroxyl groups, sorbitol is one of polyurethane’s raw materials. In fact, sorbitol is considered a green product since it is a sustainable biological resource. Its rigidity and high performance are prized in the polyurethane industry and sorbitol is used in imitation wood products, heat insulators, packaging, and flotation devices.
When you’re ready to order sorbitol for your business, give us a call and we will fill your order rapidly and accurately. Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including sorbitol. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.