Erythritol is a four-carbon sugar alcohol, a member of the polyol family

Erythritol is a four-carbon sugar alcohol, a member of the polyol family, which is a white, odorless crystal with a molecular weight of only 122.12. It is commonly found in various fruits, such as melons, peaches, pears, grapes, etc. It is also found in fermented foods, such as wine, beer and soy sauce. At the same time, it is also found in animal body fluids such as human eyeballs, serum and semen [1][2]. Erythritol is a filled biosweetener with a cool taste, which not only has all the excellent functions of sugar alcohol products, but also has a low energy value and high tolerance properties. Its calories are only 0.2 kcal/g, and its sweetening properties are 70% of the sweetening power of sucrose, making it an effective and safe ingredient for low-calorie foods for people with diabetes and obesity [3]. Toxicological studies have shown that erythritol is well tolerated and does not produce any side effects or toxic effects [2]. In addition, 90% of erythritol ingested with food does not undergo any biochemical effects and is excreted in the urine in an unchanged form, thus not affecting blood sugar or insulin levels [4]. Erythritol can also play an antioxidant role due to its specific molecular structure [5]. These potential application properties of erythritol have sparked growing interest in this compound in the food industry as well as in the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries.

At present, erythritol is mainly produced by microbial fermentation. Compared with chemical synthesis, the production process of erythritol by microbial fermentation is mild, easy to control, and can greatly reduce environmental pollution [4]. Therefore, the application prospect of the product is widely optimistic

Moderate sweetness: The sweetness of erythritol is slightly lower than that of sucrose, about 2/3 of the sweetness of sucrose. Erythritol is a natural green product with a clean sweet feeling. Compared with other sugar substitutes - sugar alcohols, erythritol has more significant physiological functions [7,8]. In addition, when erythritol is combined with high-power sweeteners such as stevia and momoside, it can cover up the unpleasant taste caused by high-power sweeteners, reduce the post-astringency and irritation of the solution, and enhance the smooth taste of the solution, making the sweetness close to sucrose

The caloric value is zero: erythrothreitol molecules are very small, and about 90% can enter the blood circulation after human consumption, and only about 10% directly enter the large intestine as a carbon source for fermentation. Because the body has no enzyme system that can directly metabolize erythritol, erythritol is absorbed from the proximal intestine by passive diffusion, in a manner similar to that of many low-molecular weight organic molecules without an active transport system, whose absorption rate is related to their molecular size. Due to its small molecular weight, erythritol passes through the intestinal membrane faster than mannose and glucose, but it is not digested and degraded after absorption in the body, and can only be excreted from the urine through the kidney [9]. The unique physiological and metabolic characteristic of erythritol determines its low calorific value. The energy value of erythritol ingestion is only 1/10-1/20 of the intake, and its energy value is 0.2-0.4 kJ/g, which is 5% to 10% of the energy of sucrose, and is the lowest energy of all sugar substitute alcohols.

High tolerance and small side effects: Due to the unique metabolic pathway of erythritol, most of the sugar alcohol after use is excreted through the kidney, and less than 10% of it enters the intestine. Because the human body has no enzyme to degrade erythritol, the amount of it is broken down in the human body is very small [10]. The Ministry of Health in the "2007 No. 12" announcement of the intake of erythritol is "added according to demand", the daily intake can be as high as 50 grams, and there is no diarrhea and gas and other side effects, through the following table can compare the human body's tolerance to several sugar alcohols.

Adaptability to diabetic patients: Yokozawa et al. [11] studied the effect of erythritol on streptozotocin induced diabetes, and the results showed that erythritol could significantly reduce glucose levels in serum, liver and kidney of diabetic rats. Because the human body lacks the enzyme system to metabolize erythritol, erythritol entering the body is effectively absorbed without being metabolized and excreted through the kidney process, suggesting that erythritol has limited potential to cause changes in blood glucose and insulin levels. Therefore, erythritol is safe for diabetic patients when used in special foods [12,13].

Non-caries properties: Honkala et al. [14] studied the effect of erythritol et al on the development of dental enamel and dentin caries, and the results showed that erythritol group had the lowest number of dentin caries and surfaces, and was the least prone to caries damage. Because erythritol can reduce dental plaque acid, reduce the amount of Streptococcus mutans in saliva and dental plaque, thereby reducing the risk of dental caries [15]. In addition, experiments have shown that the anti-caries activity of erythritol has three mechanisms: 1. Reduce the growth inhibition and acid production of the main bacterial species associated with the development of dental caries; 2, reduce the adhesion of common streptococcus oral bacteria to the tooth surface; 3. Reduce the weight of dental plaque in organisms [16]. Therefore, erythritol has anti-caries properties and is beneficial to oral health.