Sorbitol | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol (polyol) that occurs naturally in fruits such as apples, pears, and plums, and is commercially produced by the hydrogenation of glucose. It is widely used in food as a sweetener, humectant, and bulking agent in sugar-free confectionery, baked goods, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

JECFA has assigned sorbitol an ADI of 'not specified,' indicating no numerical daily limit is required at typical food-use levels. However, consumption exceeding approximately 50 g per day is documented to cause laxative effects and gastrointestinal discomfort, including bloating, gas, and diarrhea, particularly in sensitive individuals such as those with IBS. The EU has restricted sorbitol in beverages specifically because young consumers could more readily exceed the laxative threshold, and EFSA's safety re-evaluation is currently ongoing.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Approved as E420 under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008; use in beverages is not permitted in the EU because young consumers could more easily exceed the laxative threshold; EFSA genotoxicity re-evaluation is currently ongoing under the food additives re-evaluation programme (Commission Regulation (EU) No 257/2010)source
FSSAI (Food Safety and Standards Authority of India) (India)	Approved	Permitted under FSS (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 as INS 420 at GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) levels across multiple food categories including bread and bakery products; listed as a permitted nutritive sweetener in FSSAI Labelling and Display Regulationssource
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Listed as GRAS under 21 CFR 184.1835 as a multipurpose food substance (sweetener, humectant, sequestrant, texturizer); products providing more than 50 g of sorbitol per day must bear a labeling statement about its laxative effectsource

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Ibs — Sorbitol is a FODMAP (fermentable polyol) that is poorly absorbed in the small intestine and fermented by colonic bacteria, reliably triggering bloating, cramping, and diarrhea in people with irritable bowel syndrome even at moderate doses.

Ibd — The osmotic and laxative effects of sorbitol may exacerbate gastrointestinal symptoms and fluid loss in individuals with inflammatory bowel disease.

Infants — The EU restricts sorbitol in beverages partly because infants and very young children have a much lower laxative threshold, making diarrhea and dehydration a significant risk at doses easily reached through sweetened drinks.

Children — Young children can exceed the laxative threshold at lower absolute doses than adults; the EU explicitly prohibits sorbitol in beverages to protect this age group from osmotic diarrhea.

Diabetes — Although sorbitol has a lower glycaemic index than sucrose and does not cause a rapid blood glucose spike, it still contributes calories and is metabolised via the polyol pathway, which may increase intracellular sorbitol accumulation; medical supervision of intake is advisable.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. 21 CFR Part 184.1835 – Sorbitol (Code of Federal Regulations Title 21). accessdata.fda.gov
2WHO. Codex Alimentarius – Comment Compilation on Polyol Sweeteners in Food Categories (CX-711-52). fao.org
3EFSA. Call for data on genotoxicity data on sorbitol (E 420 i), 2023. efsa.europa.eu
4FSSAI. Food Safety and Standards (Food Products Standards and Food Additives) Regulations, 2011 – Appendix A: List of Food Additives, 2011. fssai.gov.in
5EFSA. Sugar replacers xylitol, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol, lactitol, isomalt, erythritol, D-tagatose, isomaltulose, sucralose and polydextrose related health claims, 2011. efsa.europa.eu

Independently researched5 citations