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Review
. 2018 Jan;102(2):587-595.
doi: 10.1007/s00253-017-8654-1. Epub 2017 Dec 1.

Erythritol as sweetener-wherefrom and whereto?

K Regnat  1 , R L Mach  1 , A R Mach-Aigner  2
Affiliations
Review

Erythritol as sweetener-wherefrom and whereto?

K Regnat et al. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2018 Jan.

Abstract

Erythritol is a naturally abundant sweetener gaining more and more importance especially within the food industry. It is widely used as sweetener in calorie-reduced food, candies, or bakery products. In research focusing on sugar alternatives, erythritol is a key issue due to its, compared to other polyols, challenging production. It cannot be chemically synthesized in a commercially worthwhile way resulting in a switch to biotechnological production. In this area, research efforts have been made to improve concentration, productivity, and yield. This mini review will give an overview on the attempts to improve erythritol production as well as their development over time.

Keywords: Erythritol; Polyols; Sugar; Sugar alcohols; Sugar alternatives; Sweetener.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Chemical structures of sweeteners discussed in this review, namely a erythritol, b sorbitol, c xylitol, d mannitol, e maltitol, f lactitol, g sucrose, and h sucralose
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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