Erythritol? Anyone heard of this?

[Guest guest]

I was browsing a website looking for no added sugar freeze dried

strawberries when I came across Erythritol. I'd never heard of it

before. Have you? Is this a new product? I couldn't find it on

the legal/illegal list.

*Erythritol is the world's first all-natural non-calorie bulk

sweetener. Eridex is manufactured in a process by which a glucose-

rich substrate is fermented and crystallized at a high purity rate.

The resulting product is similar in appearance and characteristics

to sucrose, but offering only about 70% of the sweetness. Erythritol

has a calorific value of nearly zero (max 0.2 Kcal/g), is suitable

for diabetics, and is even tooth-friendly. Eridex Granular

Erythritol does a great job of playing the bulk sweetener role in

sugar replacement formulations that include intense sweeteners such

as aspartame, pure Splenda, and others. Substitute Erythritol for

sugar on a pound for pound basis, maintaining body, texture, and

sweetness.

Compared to other polyol sweeteners erythritol has a high digestive

tolerance. In fact, Eridex has the highest digestive tolerance of

all polyols. As an example erythritol has a digestive tolerance 3 to

4 times better than that of sorbitol and 2 to 3 times better than

xylitol and maltitol. Erythritol does not cause undesired

gastrointestinal effects under its intended conditions of use. Based

on clinical studies in which erythritol was administered with foods

and beverages at daily doses up to 75-80 grams, a laxation threshold

cannot be defined.

Regulatory status: GRAS status since end of 1996. GRAS notified by

FDA in 2001.

Nutritional Benefits:

very low calorific value of 0.2 KCal/g.

high digestive tolerance (Rapidly and easily absorbed by the small

intestine.)

suitability for diabetics (Does not affect blood glucose or insulin

levels.)

non-cariogenicity (Mouth bacteria cannot metabolize Eridex, so it

does not promote dental carries.)

Taste and functional benefits:

Clean, sweet taste, similar to sucrose

Adds smoothness and body

Masks off-flavors

Cool mouth-feel

Synergy with intense sweeteners

Storage stability