Maltitol is obtained by hydrogenation of maltose, and it is a sugar alcohol used in low-calorie sweeteners earlier. There are two kinds of products: one is a colorless crystalline product; the other is a colorless viscous liquid. Others include maltitol powder, which is obtained by spray drying maltitol, except for the moisture content of ≤0.1%, the other indicators are the same as liquid maltitol.
The hemiacetal hydroxyl group of maltose is reduced to a hydroxyl group and converted into maltitol, which increases the sweetness, and the relative sweetness is about 0.9 times that of sucrose. The taste is pure, close to sucrose, but it is not digested or metabolized by oral microorganisms, and will not cause dental caries. It is a low-calorie food sweetener, especially suitable for diabetics and obese patients.
What are the main applications of maltitol?
1. Food industry
(1) Through the acute test on 38 cases of diabetic patients, there is no significant difference in the blood glucose 1h and 2h after taking maltitol compared with the control group. 4 diabetic patients took maltitol 20g daily for 40 consecutive days, and no changes were found in blood sugar, blood lipid, kidney function, and liver function, indicating that diabetic patients can eat maltitol. Maltitol is relatively stable to heat and acid, and its viscosity is twice as high as that of xylitol and sorbitol. Therefore, maltitol can replace sucrose and be widely used in sugar-free fillings and sugar-free foods.
(2) Sugar alcohols are effective emulsifiers and foaming agents for cakes and creams. Utilizing the emulsification stability of sugar alcohols, the oil and water type emulsified margarine produced is not only of high quality, but also can make the food have the characteristics of oily feeling and smooth structure when used in food production. Therefore, maltitol is used as a fat substitute to produce low-calorie food, which can maintain the flavor and texture of the original fat food.
(3) Used as a sweetener for high-fat foods such as ice cream, butter cakes, and toffee. It can inhibit fat accumulation in the body and prevent obesity.
(4) Used for processing chewing gum, candy, cakes, beverages and food for children and the elderly, etc. It can promote the body's absorption of calcium and prevent dental caries and senile porosity.
(5) Maltitol has soft and pure sweetness, and heating with amino acid will not cause Maillard reaction. It is suitable for processing high-grade hard candy, toffee, crystal toffee, etc. In addition, maltitol has an excellent color protection effect, and it is used for processing preserved fruits, jellies, pickles, etc., and can prolong the freshness period of fruits and vegetables.
(6) Maltitol has good moisture retention and non-fermentation properties. It can be used in bread and cakes to prolong the shelf life.
2. Chemical industry
Maltitol is stable to acid and heat. In the chemical industry, it can be used as a raw material for synthetic chemistry to manufacture synthetic resins, surfactants, contact agents, etc.
3. Pharmaceutical industry
From the metabolite analysis, the human body has a low absorption rate of maltitol. The absorbed maltitol is firstly hydrolyzed to generate glucose or sorbitol, which enters the respective metabolic pathways. Since the hydrolysis rate of maltitol in the body is very slow, the released glucose is not enough to cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels. At the same time, the sorbitol released by hydrolysis is absorbed more slowly, and to some extent, it also inhibits the absorption of glucose. Therefore, the increase in blood sugar level and blood insulin level is very small after the human body ingests maltitol. In addition, it can also promote the absorption of calcium, so it can be made into medicinal drinks and other products. It is specially used for patients with diabetes, liver disease, cardiovascular disease, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, obesity and osteoporosis.
4. Cosmetics
Maltitol has good hygroscopicity and moisturizing properties, so it can be used as a certain component of cosmetics and used as a moisture regulator.
The above is a brief introduction about the sweetener maltitol. If you want to know more, please contact Polifar！