Chemistry

Molecular formula: C12H24O11

Molecular weight: 344.3

Lactitol has good water solubility.

Taste

Lactitol has a clean sweet taste. It is about 40% as sweet as sucrose. The concentration vs. response relationship in water is shown below (results in food systems will vary). This graph is based on data from DuBois, Walters, Schiffman, Warwick, Booth, Pecore, Gibes, Carr & Brands in "Sweeteners: Discovery, Molecular Design, and Chemoreception," D.E. Walters et al., Eds., American Chemical Society, 1991. The units of R are percent sucrose equivalent; the units of C are percent lactitol on a weight basis.

Safety

See my essay "Polyols--Digestive Issues" for a discussion of the potential gastrointestinal effects of polyol consumption.