Alcohol in sugars

Anticariogenicity. Sugar alcohols are not fermented to release acids that may cause tooth decay by the oral bacteria which metabolize sugars and starches (208). As a result, use of sugar alcohols in sugar-free chewing gum, pressed mints, confections, and toothpaste has been widely accepted. 

Trichloroacetonitrile reacts with glycosidic hydroxy groups of protected sugars to form glycosyl trichloroacetimidates (R. R. Schmidt, 1980, 1984,1985,1986 B. Wegmann, 1988). The imidate is substituted by alcohols in the presence of trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate... 

Sweetness is often an important characteristic of sugar alcohols in food and pharmaceutical applications. The property of sweetness is measured in a variety of ways and has a corresponding variability in ratings (218). Based on one or more test methods, erythritol and xyfitol are similar to or sweeter than sucrose (218,219). Sorbitol is about 60% as sweet as sucrose, and mannitol, D-arabinitol, ribitol, maltitol, isomalt, and lactitol are generally comparable to sorbitol (see Sweeteners). 

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