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