Allervibe
E968
Erythritol
A sugar alcohol with virtually no calories, about 60 to 70 per cent as sweet as sugar.
i Additive Details
| Is E968 Erythritol safe?
Foods containing more than 10 per cent added polyols must carry the EU warning that 'excessive consumption may produce laxative effects', and that rule applies to erythritol as it does to the rest. In practice erythritol is far better tolerated than sorbitol, maltitol or xylitol, because roughly 90 per cent of it is absorbed in the small intestine and excreted unchanged in the urine instead of being fermented in the colon. A 2023 study reported an association between high blood levels of erythritol and cardiovascular events and increased platelet reactivity; that work was observational and regulators have not revised their assessment.
| Uses
Used as the bulking sweetener in stevia and monk fruit blends, in sugar-free confectionery, chocolate, chewing gum and baked goods, and in reduced-calorie drinks. It gives a pronounced cooling effect in the mouth and does not brown or caramelise. In the EU it is treated as providing 0 kcal per gram.
| Interactions
Almost always blended with steviol glycosides, monk fruit extract or sucralose, which supply the sweetness while erythritol supplies the volume and texture that sugar would have given. Its cooling effect can be strong enough to need masking with flavourings. Erythritol is not fermented by oral bacteria and does not contribute to tooth decay.
| Origin
Occurs naturally in pears, melons, grapes, mushrooms and fermented foods such as soy sauce and wine. Manufactured by fermenting glucose from corn or wheat starch with osmophilic yeasts, then crystallising the product.
| Daily Intake
No numerical ADI has been established. EFSA re-evaluated erythritol in 2023 and again did not derive a numerical ADI, treating laxative effects rather than toxicity as the limiting factor. Tolerated amounts are considerably higher than for the other polyols, though the same dose in a drink taken on an empty stomach is less well tolerated than in a solid food.
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.
- E420 Sorbitol A sugar alcohol about 60 per cent as sweet as sugar, used both as a sweetener and as a humectant.
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