Sorbitol physical properties

Sorbitol is classified as a polyhydric alcohol and possesses less sweetness compared to the lower alcohols like glycerol and xylitol.

Sorbitol is quite soluble in water and Sorbo sorbitol solution, USP XVI, is 7% by weight aqueous solution. Sorbitol will not crystallize from supersaturated syrups as readily as sugar and a mixture of sorbitol powder and syrup is used to prepare confectionary pastes and fondants.

Another of its desirable properties of sorbitol is that it is not easily fermented by microorganisms and is stable in the dry state or in sterile aqueous solution.

Sorbitol is slightly soluble in methanol ethanol, acetic acid, acetamide and phenol and it is essentially insoluble in other organic solvents.

Because sorbitol is largely transformed to fructose by liver enzymes in the body, it is tolerated by diabetics since fructose is not dependent on the availability of insulin for its metabolism.

Sorbitol is hygroscopic and provides cooling effect in the mouth due to the negative heat of solution. As monosaccharides, sorbitol has twice the freezing point depression effect as sucrose on a per weight basis.
Sorbitol physical properties