Contents
E420 sorbitol or sorbitol syrup is a special food additive that is used as an emulsifier, texturizer, complexing agent, water-retaining agent, sweetener.
Sorbitol is very stable and chemically inactive. It can withstand high temperatures and does not participate in Maillard (brown) reactions. This is an advantage, for example, in the production of biscuits, where a fresh color without visible browning is desired. Sorbitol also pairs well with other food ingredients such as sugar, gelling agents, proteins, and vegetable fats. It functions well in many foods: sweets, frozen desserts, cookies, cakes, icing and fillings, and oral care products including toothpaste and mouthwash.
Sorbitol is very similar to glucose, but unlike glucose, it acts as a laxative, absorbing into the blood very slowly. As a consequence of this gradual absorption, as it passes through the intestines, sorbitol tends to stick to some water. This increases the moisture content of the stool, resulting in easier elimination from the body.
Sorbitol rarely causes negative side effects, however, due to its effect on the intestines, it can cause abdominal discomfort, flatulence, diarrhea, and nausea. Preparations containing sorbitol can also cause diarrhea. The additive is highly soluble in water.
It is allowed to use E420 as a food additive in Canada, the USA, EU countries, Belarus, Ukraine and Russia.
The nutritional value
The following nutritional value of the product is determined:
- calories per gram = 2,6 or 354 kilocalories per 100 grams of supplement;
- glycemic index (GI) = 9;
- sweetness relative to sucrose = 60%;
- clean crabs = zero.
High Sorbitol Foods
Sorbitol occurs naturally in significant amounts in grapes, prunes, cherries, peaches, apples, pears, apricots, and juicy fruit juices.
The supplement can be semi-artificially made from glucose syrup, can be drawn from wheat, potato starch. Used as a low-calorie sweetener, humectant, filler, texturizer, or fat substitute in confectionery, candies, baked goods, diabetic jams, nutrition bars, shredded coconut, chewing gum, chocolate, diet soft drinks, surimi, or cooked sausages. E420 can be used as a sweetener in toothpaste, mouthwash, medicinal syrups, lozenges, vitamin and mineral supplements or medicines.
In the European Union, sorbitol is designated as E-number E420.
Sorbitol intake and metabolism
Sorbitol is poorly absorbed in the small intestine, so it travels to the large intestine, where beneficial gut bacteria break it down (ferment it) into gases and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) that can be absorbed and provide some energy. Sorbitol can provide 2,6 kilocalories per gram.
Possible Benefits of Sorbitol
Tooth Decay: Sorbitol does not promote tooth decay.
Diabetes mellitus: E420 has a low glycemic index (GI = 9) and does not significantly increase blood levels of insulin. However, it is questionable whether sorbitol is a good sugar substitute as it often causes bloating.
Manufacturers do not recommend using more than forty grams of the supplement per day, so as not to provoke discomfort in the abdomen. Of the useful properties of sorbitol syrup, I would like to note the following: after the assimilation of E420, the body ceases to need insulin, it is absorbed much more actively than glucose, it has an anti-ketone effect, stimulates the process of glycogen accumulation in the liver, has a stimulating effect on the production of gastric juice, accelerates the process of bile outflow, accelerates regenerative processes of the liver after serious illnesses, saturates the body with B vitamins, positively affects the shelf life of various products.
Side effects, dangers
The supplement draws water from the intestinal wall (osmotic effect), so it can cause diarrhea if consumed in excess. According to one source, the lactation threshold for a single dose of sorbitol in healthy men is 0,17 g/kg, and in women it is 0,24 g/kg of body weight, or up to about 50 g per day.
In one study in healthy people, 27 grams of sorbitol only caused excess gas (flatulence).
Sorbitol sensitivity or intolerance in fructose malabsorption: Individuals with fructose malabsorption often also have E420 malabsorption, which can cause the same symptoms as fructose (abdominal bloating, pain or cramps, loose stools, diarrhea leading to unintentional weight loss, constipation, excessive belching and headache). The supplement may also cause stomach symptoms in individuals with large intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO) and a diagnosis of irritable bowel syndrome.
Individuals with hereditary fructose intolerance should avoid sorbitol syrup as it is metabolized to fructose which cannot be metabolized further so it accumulates in the liver resulting in hypoglycemia and severe gastrointestinal symptoms.
Note: Sorbitol sensitivity, malabsorption or intolerance does not provoke an allergic reaction (rash, hives) to sorbitol. An allergy to sorbitol is not likely. Important: the use of sorbitol in food is strictly contraindicated in children under one year of age.
Among the main disadvantages, it is worth highlighting the following: it can provoke mild bouts of dizziness, heartburn, flatulence, nausea; high-calorie supplement; compared to sucrose, E420 is less sweet; has an unpleasant metallic taste.
Properties of sorbitol
E420 is a white crystalline powder, less sweet than sucrose and has a strong cooling effect. Very hygroscopic – easily attracts moisture. A good humectant – helps foods resist moisture changes. Solubility in water at 77°F (25°C) = 70 g/100 g solution or 235 g in 100 ml water. Melting point = 207°F (97°C). Temperature resistance > 320 °F (> 160 °C).