Xylitol appears as a white, granular solid made up of crystalline, uniformly-sized particles with an average diameter of approximately 0.4 to 0.6 mm. It is odorless and has a sweet taste that provides a cooling sensation. Xylitol is also available commercially in powdered form and in various granular forms that are directly compressible.
Xylitol naturally occurs in many fruits and berries, but extracting it from these sources is not commercially viable. Industrially, xylitol is primarily derived from various types of hemicellulose found in sources such as wood, corn cobs, cane pulp, seed hulls, and shells. These materials typically contain 20 to 35% xylan, which is easily converted to xylose (wood sugar) through hydrolysis. This xylose is then converted to xylitol via hydrogenation (reduction). After hydrogenation, several separation and purification steps are performed to produce high-purity xylitol crystals. Due to the nature of this process and the stringent purification procedures, the final product has very low impurity content. Potential impurities that may appear in small quantities include mannitol, sorbitol, galactitol, or arabitol.
Less commonly used methods for manufacturing xylitol include converting glucose (dextrose) to xylose followed by hydrogenation to xylitol, and the microbiological conversion of xylose to xylitol.
Xylitol is utilized in oral pharmaceutical formulations, confectionery, and food products. It is generally considered to be nontoxic, nonallergenic, and nonirritant.
Xylitol has a very low glycemic response and is metabolized independently of insulin. After ingesting xylitol, blood glucose and serum insulin levels are significantly lower compared to glucose or sucrose ingestion. These characteristics make xylitol an appropriate sweetener for diabetic or carbohydrate-controlled diets.
Up to 100 g of xylitol in divided oral doses can be tolerated daily, although, like other polyols, large doses may have a laxative effect. The laxative threshold depends on several factors, including individual sensitivity, mode of ingestion, daily diet, and previous adaptation to xylitol. Single doses of 20 to 30 g and daily doses of 0.5 to 1.0 g/kg body weight are generally well tolerated by most individuals. About 25 to 50% of ingested xylitol is absorbed, while the remaining 50 to 75% passes to the lower gut, where it undergoes indirect metabolism through fermentative degradation by intestinal flora.
The WHO has set an acceptable daily intake for xylitol as ‘not specified,’ indicating that the levels used in foods do not pose a health hazard.
LD50 (mouse, IP): 22.1 g/kg
LD50 (mouse, IV): 12 g/kg
LD50 (mouse, oral): 12.5 g/kg
LD50 (rat, oral): 17.3 g/kg
LD50 (rat, IV): 10.8 g/kg
LD50 (rabbit, oral): 16.5 g/kg
LD50 (rabbit, IV): 4 g/kg
Chemical-physical values
| Test Item | Unit | Specification |
|---|---|---|
|
LEAD |
% |
NMT 0.5 |
|
NICKEL |
% |
NMT 1.0 |
|
WATER CONTENT |
% |
NMT 0.5 |
|
TOTAL AEROBIC MICROBIAL COUNT |
CFU/g |
NMT 1000 |
|
TOTAL YEAST AND MOULDS COUNT |
CFU/g |
NMT 100 |
| Test Item | Unit | Specification |
|---|---|---|
|
DESCRIPTION |
|
WHITE OR ALMOST WHITE, SLIGHTLY HYGROSCOPIC POWDER OR GRANULES |
|
XYLITOL on DS |
% |
NLT 98.5 &
NMT 101.0
|
|
CONDUCTIVITY |
% |
NMT 20 |
|
REDUCING SUGARS |
% |
NMT 0.2 |
|
RELATED SUBSTANCES |
% |
NMT 2.0 |
|
OTHER POLYOLS |
% |
NMT 2.0 |
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