Detailed Product Description

Maltitol is a member of a family of bulk sweeteners known as polyols or sugar alcohols. It has a pleasant sweet taste--remarkably similar to sucrose. Maltitol is about 90% as sweet as sugar, non-cariogenic, and significantly reduced in calories. Maltitol is especially useful in the production of sweets, including sugarless hard candies, chewing gum, chocolates,* baked goods and ice cream.

Useful in the Diets of People with Diabetes -- Control of blood glucose, lipids and weight are the three major goals of diabetes management today. Maltitol is slowly absorbed. Therefore, when maltitol is used, the rise in blood glucose and the insulin response associated with the ingestion of glucose is significantly reduced. The reduced caloric value of maltitol (2.1 calories per gram versus 4.0 for sugar) is consistent with the objective of weight control. Products sweetened with maltitol in place of sugar may be useful in providing a wider variety of reduced-calorie and sugar-free choices to people with diabetes.

Maltitol works well with other ingredients and may be synergistic with other sweeteners. This means the combination of the sweeteners is sweeter than the sum of the individual sweeteners and results in synergistic blends which provide taste, economic and stability advantages.

Future

Maltitols good taste, reduced caloric value, versatility and its high level of sweetness compared to most other polyols facilitates its use in a wide variety of products. With the increasing demand for products reduced in calories and fat, maltitols use is expected to increase.

*As used in this paper, chocolate refers to chocolate flavored confectionery.