Mannitol in the food industry

    Over the years, many studies the medical effects of mannitol. But mannitol sources are relatively scarce, and large fluctuations in market supply, so its in food than the smaller. The development of the production process with the synthesis of mannitol, mannitol production scale has been greatly expanded, production costs and prices have stabilized. Mannitol into the food industry has been imperative.

    First, mannitol is a typical six sugar alcohols, to the special metabolic pathways involved in human physiological activities in human metabolism. The study shows that consumption and ultimately about 50% for human use, so its energy is only 8.36kJ / g. When mannitol was absorbed by the body, the first reaction with NAD +, production of fructose and NADH2 (acetyl coenzyme A), and then by fructokinase to generate 1 - phosphofructokinase, and then generate a diphosphate, and further into the triose phosphate cycle, and to complete their physiological metabolic processes. This process, requiring no insulin.

    Mannitol as a food additive used in food industry, has the following advantages:

    1, mannitol metabolic pathways in the body and insulin independent of the intake will not cause a significant fluctuation of blood glucose and insulin levels, available for people with diabetes;

    2, mannitol is not the source of nutrition as oral microorganisms, can inhibit the growth and reproduction, mutation of Streptococcus can be used to prevent dental caries become food.

    3, mannitol has a refreshing sweetness, the sweetness equivalent to sucrose 0.6, its dissolution endothermic for-29Cal / g, which is equivalent to xylitol (-38Cal / g) 76%, take advantage of this feature, chewing gum can be used as a sweetener and flavoring agents.

    4, and sorbitol, xylitol different, mannitol is not easy to absorb moisture, 20 ° C, the solubility of only 18 g / 100 g, than the low-sorbitol, xylitol and maltitol. Therefore, it can be used as a moisture barrier agent, when used in chewing gum, chewing gum, sugar, other food to prevent adhesions in the processing and use.

    5, mannitol did not restore the base, does not participate in the United States de la reaction, so for baking food, you can maintain a good color, not easy to coking.

    Polyols, however, when taking a common feature, that is, more than a certain amount, can cause stomach upset or diarrhea. This is because most of the sugar alcohol is absorbed in the intestine faster than sugar is much more difficult, and small intestine inner wall of the sugar alcohols are not absorbed to produce a high osmotic pressure, which leads to small intestinal mucosal surface of the water, so the cause of diarrhea. The undigested sugar alcohol absorbed into the large intestine, the intestinal bacteria ferment and produce large amounts of volatile substances, beyond through the blood re-absorbed and excreted by a number of limits, will produce flatulence. This regard, mannitol and xylitol, sorbitol have the same situation. So the U.S. government provides one-time taking mannitol may be more than 20 grams must be illustrated in the food signs.