E420 - Sorbitol

At a glance

Here are the quick facts to help you recognize what sorbitol does in foods.

• What it is: a sugar alcohol (polyol) also known as glucitol; found naturally in apples, pears, and stone fruits.
• What it does: sweetener, humectant (holds moisture), thickener, stabiliser, and sequestrant.
• Taste: less sweet than table sugar, with a mild cooling effect.
• Calories: fewer calories per gram than sugar.
• Common forms: crystalline sorbitol and sorbitol syrup.
• Where it shows up: sugar‑free gum and mints, candies, baked goods, desserts, jams, and some beverages.
• Watch‑outs: large amounts may cause stomach upset or diarrhea; EU labels must warn about this on products high in polyols.
• Dietary notes: typically vegan and gluten‑free unless other ingredients add animal products or gluten.

Why is Sorbitol added to food?

Sorbitol helps foods taste sweet, stay soft, and keep their shape over time.

• As a humectant, it binds water so cakes, cookies, and fillings stay moist longer.
• As a sweetener and bulking agent, it replaces some sugar while adding body and texture.
• It helps prevent sugar crystallization in confections and improves freeze–thaw stability in frozen desserts.
• Because it is less sweet than sugar, it is often blended with high‑intensity sweeteners such as sucralose, acesulfame K, or aspartame to match the expected taste.

What foods contain Sorbitol?

You’ll mostly find sorbitol in products marketed as sugar‑free or reduced‑sugar.

• Sugar‑free chewing gum, breath mints, and hard candies
• Soft candies, fillings, frostings, and coated snacks
• Baked goods and dessert mixes where moisture retention matters
• “No added sugar” jams and fruit spreads
• Some beverages and flavored syrups that use sorbitol syrup
• It also occurs naturally in some fresh fruits, especially apples, pears, peaches, and plums

What can replace Sorbitol?

Alternatives depend on whether you need sweetness, moisture, or both.

• Other polyol sweeteners: xylitol, maltitol, erythritol, mannitol
• Humectants: glycerol
• High‑intensity sweeteners for sweetness only: sucralose, acesulfame K, aspartame, steviol glycosides
• Texture agents: xanthan gum, pectins

How is Sorbitol made?

Food‑grade sorbitol is usually produced by hydrogenating D‑glucose (from starch sources like corn, wheat, or potatoes) to convert the aldehyde group into an alcohol, followed by purification to a crystalline powder or concentrated syrup.¹ This process yields the same sorbitol molecule found naturally in some fruits.

Is Sorbitol safe to eat?

Regulators in the United States and European Union allow sorbitol in foods when used as intended.

• United States: The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists sorbitol as “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) for specified uses.²
• European Union: Sorbitol (E 420) is an authorized food additive with official purity specifications set by EU law.³
• Like other polyols, sorbitol can cause gastrointestinal discomfort or a laxative effect if consumed in large amounts; EU rules require the statement “excessive consumption may produce laxative effects” on foods containing more than 10% added polyols.⁴
• For nutrition labeling in the EU, polyols are assigned 10 kJ/g (2.4 kcal/g), which is lower than sugar.⁴

Does Sorbitol have any benefits?

Using sorbitol can help reduce sugars while preserving taste and texture.

• Replacing sugars with polyols such as sorbitol leads to a lower rise in blood glucose after eating or drinking, an effect recognized by an authorized EU health claim when polyols replace sugars in foods.⁵
• As a humectant, sorbitol helps baked goods and confections stay softer for longer, which can improve shelf life.

Who should avoid Sorbitol?

Some people are more sensitive to sorbitol than others.

• People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or sensitivity to FODMAPs (fermentable carbohydrates) may experience gas, bloating, or diarrhea from sorbitol and other polyols.⁶
• Individuals with hereditary fructose intolerance (HFI) must avoid sorbitol because it is metabolized to fructose in the body.⁷
• Children may be more prone to stomach upset from large intakes of polyols; start with small amounts and assess tolerance.

Myths & facts

A few quick clarifications can help you read labels with confidence.

• Myth: “Sorbitol is artificial.” Fact: Sorbitol occurs naturally in several fruits, and the food‑grade version is chemically identical.
• Myth: “Sugar alcohols have zero calories.” Fact: Polyols do provide energy; in the EU they are counted as 2.4 kcal per gram.⁴
• Myth: “If it’s approved, I can eat unlimited amounts.” Fact: Large intakes may cause a laxative effect, which is why EU labels warn about excessive consumption.⁴
• Myth: “Sorbitol raises blood sugar the same as sugar.” Fact: Replacing sugars with polyols leads to a lower post‑meal blood glucose rise.⁵

Sorbitol in branded foods

You’ll see sorbitol in the ingredient lists of many sugar‑free gums, breath mints, hard candies, coated nuts, frostings, and “no added sugar” jams and cookies. It may appear as “sorbitol,” “E 420,” “E420,” or “sorbitol syrup (E 420ii).” Check the nutrition panel and serving size, since eating many servings can add up.

References

Footnotes

1. Sorbitol — PubChem, National Institutes of Health (NIH). https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/Sorbitol ↩

2. Food Additive Status List — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list ↩

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012: Specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj ↩

4. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 on the provision of food information to consumers (Annex XIII/XIV and Annex III) — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴

5. Commission Regulation (EU) No 432/2012 establishing a list of permitted health claims made on foods — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/432/oj ↩ ↩²

6. Eating, Diet, & Nutrition for Irritable Bowel Syndrome — National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), NIH. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/irritable-bowel-syndrome/eating-diet-nutrition ↩

7. Hereditary Fructose Intolerance — Genetic and Rare Diseases Information Center (GARD), NIH. https://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/diseases/6662/hereditary-fructose-intolerance ↩