Crystalline Maltitol

Crystalline maltitol is a functional sugar alcohol product made from starch as raw material by liquefaction, saccharification, refining, hydrogenation, concentration and other processes.

I. Basic information.

1. Appearance: white crystalline powder, odorless.

2. Solubility: very soluble in water, insoluble in ethanol and methanol, insoluble in organic solvents such as chloroform and ether.

3. Melting point: 148 – 151 °C.

4. Sweetness: equivalent to 80% – 90% of sucrose, mild sweetness, no unpleasant taste.

II. Production technology.

1. Preparation process example (a common method).

Dilute the maltitol slurry, add powdered activated carbon for decolorization, filter and perform cation-anion resin exchange to obtain purified maltitol liquid.

Concentrate the maltitol liquid by evaporator to obtain concentrated maltitol liquid.

Pour the maltitol concentrate into a belt vacuum dryer and spread it evenly on the drying belt. After heating and cooling, the maltitol liquid is dried into maltitol cake.

The maltitol cake is crushed, then discharged and packaged to obtain crystallized maltitol powder.

2. Other methods: Crystalline maltitol can also be prepared by chromatographic separation, fine filtration, evaporative crystallization, centrifugal drying and other methods. The centrifugal mother liquor obtained in centrifugal drying can be returned to the decolorization process and utilized.

III. Properties and advantages.

1. Physical and chemical properties.

1.1 Crystalline maltitol has stable chemical properties, good heat resistance, acid and alkali resistance, almost no discoloration when heated below 150 ℃, and no Maillard reaction occurs.

1.2 Crystalline maltitol has significant hygroscopicity and can be used as a moisturizer for food or to prevent the crystallization of sucrose. However, high-purity crystalline maltitol is not hygroscopic at all.

1.3 The viscosity of crystalline maltitol is lower than that of sucrose, and the viscosity of malto-oligosaccharide made from maltose is lower than that of the corresponding homologous sugars.

1.4 Maltitol powder has excellent compressive strength and high fluidity, and is suitable for various tablet processing.

2. Physiological effects.

2.1 Low calorie. Theoretically, the caloric value of crystallized maltitol is generally considered to be 8.36kJ/g, compared with the caloric value of sucrose of 16.7kJ/g.

2.2 It does not cause blood sugar fluctuations and stimulates insulin secretion after consumption. It is a good substitute for sucrose for patients with diabetes or liver disease. It also has the function of lowering blood lipids and preventing blood corpuscles.

2.3 Crystalline maltitol is not easily converted into acidic substances by bacteria in the oral cavity (such as S-mutant Streptococcus) and other microorganisms, and can inhibit the production of glucan by these bacteria, thereby achieving the purpose of inhibiting dental caries.

2.4 It can promote the body’s absorption of calcium and improve the quality of human bones.

IV. Application areas.

1. Food industry.

Crystalline maltitol is used in confectionery and chocolate production, and can be used to make various candies, including foamed marshmallows, hard candies, transparent soft candies, etc. It has good moisturizing and amorphous properties, and makes the product taste full and smooth.

Adding maltitol to fruit drinks can make the drinks taste full-bodied and smooth.

Used in frozen foods such as ice cream, it can make the product tender, thick, sweet and delicious, and extend the shelf life.

Maltitol can be used to make low-calorie, low-fat baked goods for people with sucrose intolerance, such as diabetics and obese patients.

2. Pharmaceutical industry: Due to its good flowability and compressive strength, crystalline maltitol can be used as an excipient for drugs to produce tablets, capsules and other dosage forms.