Sorbitol

Synonyms

(-)-Sorbitol; Cholaxine; D-(-)-Sorbitol; D-1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexanehexol; D-Glucitol; D-Sorbite; D-Sorbitol; D-Sorbol; Diakarmon; Esasorb; Foodol D 70; Glucarine; Glucitol; Gulitol; Hexahydric alcohol; Karion; Karion (carbohydrate); Karion instant; L-Gulitol; Medevac; Multitol; Neosorb; Neosorb 20/60DC; Neosorb 70/02; Neosorb 70/70; Neosorb P 20/60; Neosorb P 60; Nivitin; Sionit; Sionit K; Sionite; Sionon; Siosan; Sorbex M; Sorbex R; Sorbex RP; Sorbex S; Sorbex X; Sorbicolan; Sorbilande; Sorbite; Sorbitol 3% in plastic container; Sorbitol 3.3% in plastic container; Sorbitol F; Sorbitol FP; Sorbitol syrup C; Sorbo; Sorbol; Sorbostyl; Sorvilande; 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexanehexol; Glucitol, D-; Sorbitol solutions; [ChemIDplus] Sorbit; Resulax; Sorbilax; [Merck Index]

Category

Monosaccharides and Derivatives

Description

Hygroscopic solid; [Merck Index] White odorless powder; Hygroscopic; [Alfa Aesar MSDS]

Sources/Uses

Found in many fruits, seaweed, and algae; Used to make sorbose, ascorbic acid, propylene glycol, synthetic plasticizers, and resins; Used as a moisture conditioner on printing rolls, leather, tobacco, writing inks, antifreeze mixtures, and food and beverage manufacturing; Also used as a sugar substitute for diabetics, pharmaceutic aid, and laxative; [Merck Index] Used in cosmetics, as a plasticizer in film formulations, surfactant, in urethane resins and rigid foams, as stabilizer for vinyl resins, in varnishes and lacquers, as a sequestrant for some multivalent metals, and for various other food, pharmaceutical, and medical applications; [HSDB] Used as a flavoring agent, color, nutritional supplement, pH control agent, drying agent, humectant, solvent, texturizer, and stabilizer or thickener for foods; [FDA] Permitted for use as an inert ingredient in non-food pesticide products; [EPA] "Sorbitol, also known as glucitol, is a sugar alcohol, which the human body metabolizes slowly. It can be obtained by reduction of glucose, changing the aldehyde group to a hydroxyl group." [Wikipedia]

Comments

No adverse effects on reproduction, development, or lactation observed in 3-generation study of rats at doses up to 10% of the diet; [REPROTOX] May cause gastrointestinal tract effects; "Health effects of exposure to the substance have been investigated extensively but none have been found." [ICSC] May cause irritation; [Alfa Aesar MSDS] See "Mannitol."

Biomedical References

4.92E-09 mm Hg

Processes

Industrial Processes with risk of exposure:

• Leather Tanning and Processing
• Metal Extraction and Refining
• Painting (Pigments, Binders, and Biocides)