Comparing E968 - Erythritol vs E421 - Mannitol
Overview
Synonyms
Products
Found in 2,409 products
Found in 571 products
Search rank & volume
Awareness score
Search volume over time
Interest over time for 6 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Interest over time for 2 keywords in U.S. during the last 10 years.
Popular questions
Is erythritol bad for you?
No—regulators (e.g., FDA, EFSA) consider erythritol safe at typical food-use levels, and it doesn’t raise blood sugar or cause tooth decay. Large amounts can cause digestive upset, and a recent observational study linked high blood erythritol levels with cardiovascular risk, but causation hasn’t been shown.
What are the dangers of erythritol?
The main concern is gastrointestinal discomfort (bloating, diarrhea) when large amounts are consumed; in the EU, polyol-containing foods may carry a laxative-effect warning. An observational study has linked high circulating erythritol with cardiovascular events, but evidence is not conclusive and guidance has not changed.
Is erythritol safe?
Yes—it's authorized in the EU (E968) and considered GRAS in the U.S., with no safety concern at reported uses. Some people may experience digestive upset if they consume a lot at once.
What is erythritol made from?
It’s typically produced by fermenting glucose (often from corn or wheat starch) with yeast-like microorganisms (e.g., Moniliella), then purified and crystallized.
Does erythritol raise blood sugar?
No—erythritol has little to no effect on blood glucose or insulin and is largely excreted unchanged.
What is mannitol used for?
In foods, E421 mannitol is used as a low‑calorie sweetener, bulking agent, and humectant/stabilizer (common in sugar‑free gum, candies, and baked goods); it’s also a pharmaceutical excipient. Medically, IV mannitol is an osmotic diuretic to reduce intracranial and intraocular pressure and promote diuresis.
How mannitol works?
As a food ingredient, it’s poorly absorbed so it provides fewer calories and a low glycemic response, with a mild cooling taste. As a medicine, it acts osmotically—filtered by the kidneys and minimally reabsorbed—raising plasma and tubular fluid osmolality to draw water from tissues and increase urine output, lowering brain/eye pressure.
How does mannitol work?
It works osmotically when given IV, increasing blood and renal filtrate osmolality so water moves from tissues into the circulation and then into urine, reducing intracranial and intraocular pressure. In foods, its limited absorption yields a lower-calorie, low‑glycemic sweetening effect.
Is mannitol safe for dogs?
Mannitol isn’t known to be acutely toxic to dogs like xylitol, but ingestion can cause diarrhea and gas, and large amounts may lead to dehydration or electrolyte imbalances. Therapeutic IV mannitol should only be used by a veterinarian; consult your vet especially for dogs with kidney or heart disease.
Is mannitol salt agar selective or differential?
Both: the high salt concentration makes it selective for staphylococci, and mannitol with phenol red makes it differential by turning yellow when mannitol‑fermenting organisms (e.g., many S. aureus) produce acid.