Allervibe
E420
Sorbitol
A sugar alcohol about 60 per cent as sweet as sugar, used both as a sweetener and as a humectant.
i Additive Details
| Is E420 Sorbitol safe?
Foods containing more than 10 per cent added polyols must carry the EU warning that 'excessive consumption may produce laxative effects'. Sorbitol is the most strongly laxative of the common polyols and is used as an osmotic laxative in medicine; around 10 grams is enough to cause symptoms in some adults, and heavy sugar-free chewing gum habits are a documented cause of chronic diarrhoea and weight loss. People with hereditary fructose intolerance must avoid sorbitol, because the body converts it into fructose. It is a FODMAP and is poorly tolerated in irritable bowel syndrome.
| Uses
Sweetens sugar-free chewing gum, mints and confectionery, and is widely used as a humectant to stop dried fruit, baked goods and toothpaste from drying out. It is also a common carrier and sweetener in liquid medicines, syrups and chewable tablets. It supplies about 2.4 kcal per gram. The E number covers both sorbitol and sorbitol syrup.
| Interactions
Often used alongside mannitol, maltitol or xylitol in the same product, and the laxative effects add together. In medicines the sorbitol content has to be declared, both because of the intolerance risk and because it can speed transit and affect how some drugs are absorbed. Sorbitol is not fermented by oral bacteria and does not cause tooth decay.
| Origin
Occurs naturally in stone fruits and berries — pears, plums, prunes, apples and cherries are all significant sources, which is why those fruits are themselves mildly laxative. Manufactured by hydrogenating glucose obtained from starch.
| Daily Intake
No numerical ADI has been established; sorbitol is classified with the polyols as 'ADI not specified', so intake is limited by gastrointestinal tolerance rather than by a toxicological limit. There is no agreed safe upper figure, and individual tolerance differs several-fold.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E952 Cyclamates A synthetic sweetener 30 to 50 times sweeter than sugar, authorised in the EU but not in the United States.
- E954 Saccharin The oldest artificial sweetener, roughly 300 to 500 times sweeter than sugar.
- E960 Steviol glycosides Plant-derived sweeteners extracted from stevia leaves, about 200 to 350 times sweeter than sugar.
- E965 Maltitol A sugar alcohol used as a bulk sweetener, almost as sweet as sugar.
- E967 Xylitol A sugar alcohol as sweet as sugar, best known from dental chewing gum and mints.
- E968 Erythritol A sugar alcohol with virtually no calories, about 60 to 70 per cent as sweet as sugar.
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