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erythritol

File:Erythritol_structure.svg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

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erythritol

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Also known as (2R,3S)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetrol, mesoerythritol, erythro-tetritol, L-erythritol, Tetrahydroxybutane, C*Eridex, L-(-)-Threitol, Butanetetrol

Erythritol (, ) is an organic compound, the naturally occurring achiral meso four-carbon sugar alcohol (or polyol). It is the reduced form of either D- or L-erythrose and one of the two reduced forms of erythrulose. It is used as a food additive and sugar substitute. It is synthesized from corn using enzymes and fermentation. Its formula is , or HO(CH2)(CHOH)2(CH2)OH.

Chemical data

Formula
C4H10O4
Molecular weight
122.12 g/mol
IUPAC name
(2S,3R)-butane-1,2,3,4-tetrol
SMILES
C([C@H]([C@H](CO)O)O)O
InChIKey
UNXHWFMMPAWVPI-ZXZARUISSA-N
XLogP
-2.3
Polar surface area
80.9 Ų
H-bond donors
4
H-bond acceptors
4
Formal charge
0

via PubChem

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Encyclopedic overview

18 sections
Contents
  • Etymology
  • History
  • Occurrence
  • Uses
  • Absorption and excretion
  • Safety
  • Dietary and metabolic aspects
  • Caloric value and labeling
  • Human digestion
  • Blood sugar and insulin levels
  • Oral bacteria
  • Manufacturing
  • Chemical properties
  • Heat of solution
  • Biological properties
  • Synonyms
  • See also
  • References

Erythritol (, ) is an organic compound, the naturally occurring achiral meso four-carbon sugar alcohol (or polyol). It is the reduced form of either D- or L-erythrose and one of the two reduced forms of erythrulose. It is used as a food additive and sugar substitute. It is synthesized from corn using enzymes and fermentation. Its formula is , or HO(CH2)(CHOH)2(CH2)OH.

Erythritol is 60–70% as sweet as table sugar. However, erythritol is almost completely noncaloric and does not affect blood sugar or cause tooth decay. Japanese companies pioneered the commercial development of erythritol as a sweetener in the 1990s.

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “erythritol” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

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