What is lactitol

Lactitol is a sugar alcohol used as a food additive or as a laxative. It's  sweetness is about 40% compared to sucrose, and the calories are not high. It can be used as a sweetener to replace sugar in food, or as an emulsifier and thickener, and it can also be used as a laxative in medicine.

Lactitol does not exist in nature and must be obtained by artificially pressurizing and hydrogenating lactose. The glucose moiety of lactose is reduced to sorbitol, but the glycosidic bond is not broken. First made from lactose from whey in the 1920s, it was used in food products in the 1980s, and is now mainly produced by two manufacturers, Purac Biochem and Danisco, a plant of DuPont Chemical.
Uses of Lactitol

Due to its stability, solubility, low caloric value, and taste similar to sucrose, lactitol can be used in a range of low-calorie, low-fat and/or sugar-free foods such as:

    Chocolate
    Ice Cream
    Baked Goods
    Soft & Hard Candy
    Gum
    Sugar Substitutes

Its mild sweetness also makes it suitable for use with other low-calorie sweeteners hundreds of times sweeter than sucrose. The flavors were mixed, but did not provide the necessary volume.

This substance is produced by reducing the glucose moiety in lactobiose. It cannot be hydrolyzed or absorbed in the small intestine.

In contrast, lactic acid is metabolized by bacteria in the large intestine, where it is converted to biomass, organic acids, carbon dioxide and a small amount of hydrogen.

Further organic acid metabolism results in a contribution of only 2 calories per gram.
Efficacy and role of lactitol

The benefits and effects of lactitol include:
Mild sweetness with no aftertaste

Lactitol has a clean sweet, sugar-like taste that makes it comparable to other low Calorie sweetener blend.

The relative sweetness of lactitol increases with its concentration in food and does not Leave no aftertaste.
Low Calorie

Lactitol is metabolized in the large intestine producing approximately 2 calories per gram, while typical carbohydrates ( or sugar) is usually 4 kcal per gram.

In Europe, the EU Nutrition Labelling Directive states that all sugar alcohols, including lactic alcohol, have a calorific value 2.4 kcal/g.
Does not cause cavities

Lactitol is not metabolized by oral bacteria, which break down sugars and starches, releasing substances that may cause Tooth decay or acid that erodes tooth enamel. The oral health benefits of maltitol and other sugar alcohols are recognized by health organizations/associations around the world.
For the production of high-quality, low-calorie foods

Since lactitol is a large sweetener, it is high quality, low calorie and Versatile ingredient for sugar-free food.

In addition to having similar solubility to glucose, it is not hygroscopic (ie does not absorb moisture into the product) ), stable under acid-base conditions, and stable at high temperatures in food processing. It also extends the shelf life of cookies and gum.

The mild sweetness of lactitol also makes it compatible with other low-calorie sweeteners such as ascesuline , aspartic acid, saccharin and sucralose are ideal for use with other polyols such as sorbitol and xylitol.
Helping people with diabetes

Foods containing lactitol as sugar substitutes may be useful for people with diabetes because polyols increase blood sugar The index is lower, does not raise blood sugar or insulin levels, and provides only half the calories of sucrose (2.4 kcal/g vs 4.0 kcal/g for sucrose).

People with diabetes should consult their GP before purchasing foods containing lactitol and other sugar alcohols /Diabetes specialists, as these products may contain other ingredients that provide calories and other nutrients, which may not fit into their meal plan