Sorbitol

Description

Sorbitol is a sugar substitute. It may be listed under the inactive ingredients listed for some foods and products. Its INS number andE number is 420. Sorbitol has approximately 60% the sweetness of sucrose.

Sorbitol is referred to as a nutritive sweetener because it provides dietary energy: 2.6 kilocalories (11 kilojoules) per gram versus the average 4 kilocalories (17 kilojoules) for carbohydrates. It is often used in diet foods (including diet drinks and ice cream), mints,cough syrups, and sugar-free chewing gum.

Sorbitol often is used in modern cosmetics as a humectant and thickener