With the improvement of people’s living standards, the sweet food consumption market is becoming larger and larger, and the problems of obesity and diabetes are also becoming more and more serious. For this reason, food vendors have racked their brains and started to study various sugar substitutes, hoping to meet the human “enjoyment” of sweet taste and avoid various health problems caused by high sugar calories. Undoubtedly, erythritol is a pearl in sugar substitutes.
Erythritol is widely present in nature and is commonly found in fungi such as lichens and mushrooms, such as melons, grapes, and pears; A small amount exists in fermented foods such as wine, beer, soy sauce, and sake; Occasionally, it can also be detected in human body fluids. According to data from Huayuan Network, erythritol, also known as erythritol or protoalgae alcohol, is a sugar alcohol that is generally in a white crystalline powder state. The actual products used in the food additive industry mainly come from fermented corn starch glucose, which produces fewer calories and has a sweeter taste compared to regular sugar. It is an ideal low calorie sweetener. The data shows that compared to sucrose with a sweetness value of 4 kcal/g per 100, erythritol has a sweetness of approximately 70, but only 0.24 kcal/g. Its molecular formula is C4H10O4, with a molecular weight of 122.120.
Low melting point, low hygroscopicity, low heat, high heat absorption during dissolution, and high stability to acid and heat make erythritol widely used in the food processing industry. Using erythritol in baking products not only maintains the taste, but also moisture-proof, and even adds a unique refreshing feeling to dried cakes; Adding erythritol to the beverage not only enhances its taste, but also provides some protection against the vitamins in the beverage due to its antioxidant properties; Adding erythritol to candy or chocolate can achieve better quality and taste, such as chocolate. After using erythritol, due to its good thermal stability and low moisture absorption, it can be operated at a high temperature of 80 degrees Celsius, reducing processing time, adding various new flavors, and reducing 34% of calories. The product has a cool and non cariogenic taste.
The anti caries properties of erythritol are a hot topic in the pharmaceutical industry. The mixture of erythritol and milk can inhibit the growth of Streptococcus mutans in biofilms, promote remineralization of demineralized enamel, and achieve anti caries effects; Erythritol can inhibit Porphyromonas gingivalis and reduce its adhesion on the surface of cementum, which is a new idea to prevent and treat periodontitis; Erythritol’s antioxidation can reduce the oxidative emergency injury of the body. Animal experiments found that the antioxidation of Erythritol can protect the blood vessels damaged by hyperglycemia in diabetes rats to a certain extent and reduce the heart risk.
After entering the human body, most sugar alcohols are not absorbed by the body, but instead pass through the small intestine and enter the large intestine, where they are finally digested by the gut microbiota. Unlike erythritol, which is 90% absorbed by the small intestine and ultimately eliminated by urine, the remaining 10% even enters the large intestine due to the lack of metabolic enzymes for erythritol, which is not easy to ferment and causes discomfort. Instead, it can increase the short chain fatty acids in the intestine and promote human health.