FAO Nutrition Meetings
    Report Series No. 40A,B,C
    WHO/Food Add./67.29




    TOXICOLOGICAL EVALUATION OF SOME
    ANTIMICROBIALS, ANTIOXIDANTS, EMULSIFIERS,
    STABILIZERS, FLOUR-TREATMENT AGENTS, ACIDS AND BASES





    The content of this document is the result of the deliberations of the
    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives which met at Rome,
    13-20 December, 19651 Geneva, 11-18 October, 19662




                   

    1 Ninth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, 1966 No. 40; 
    Wld Hlth Org. techn. Rep. Ser., 1966, 339

    2 Tenth Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food
    Additives, FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, 1967, in press; 


    Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
    World Health Organization
    1967


    SORBITOL

    Synonyms                      D-Glucitol; D-sorbitol., D-sorbit

    Chemical name                 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexanehexol

    Empirical formula             C6H14O6

    Structural formula
                                          OH  H   OH  OH
                                          '   '   '   '
                                  HOCH2 - C - C - C - C - CH2OH
                                          '   '   '   '
                                          H   OH  H   H

    Molecular weight              182.17

    Definition                    Sorbitol consists essentially of
                                  D-glucitol with a small quantity of
                                  D-mannitol and traces of other
                                  polyhydric alcohols. The material is
                                  available both as an almost anhydrous
                                  crystalline solid, and as a 70 per cent.
                                  by weight aqueous solution.

                                  Crystalline Sorbitol contains not less
                                  than 91 per cent. of D-glucitol.

                                  Sorbitol solution contains not less than
                                  64 g of D-glucitol per 100 g of
                                  solution.

    Description                   Crystalline Sorbitol is a white
                                  hygroscopic powder with a sweet taste.

                                  Sorbitol solution is a clear,
                                  colourless, syrupy liquid with a
                                  pleasantly sweet taste.

    Uses                          Sweetening agent, sequestrant,
                                  humectant, e.g., in diabetic foods and
                                  special dietary products and in soft
                                  drinks.

         The specifications for identity and purity and the biological
    data are found in the Seventh Report of the Joint FAO/WHO Expert
    Committee on Food Additives.1

    Re-evaluation

         Considering the biological data set out in the Seventh Report and
    the known facts about the nutritional properties of sorbitol there
    appears to be no need for limitation of sorbitol in the human diet on
    toxicological grounds.



                   

    1 FAO Nutrition Meetings Report Series, No. 35; Wld Hlth Org.
    techn. Rep. Ser., 1964, 281
    

    See Also:
       Toxicological Abbreviations
       Sorbitol (WHO Food Additives Series 5)
       Sorbitol (WHO Food Additives Series 13)
       SORBITOL (JECFA Evaluation)