Sweeteners, from starch crystallization

D-Mannitol has a diverse range of industrial applications. It is a nonhydroscopic, low-calorie, noncariogenic sweetener utilized by the food industry as well as a feedstock for the synthesis of other compounds. For example, mannitol can be oxidized at the 3 or 4 position to form two molecules of glyceraldehyde or glyceric acid, which can be used as building blocks for other compounds (Heinen et al., 2001 Makkee et al., 1985 van Bekkum and Verraest, 1996). Mannitol is formed from inulin via hydrolysis followed by catalytic hydrogenation. This yields mannitol and sorbitol from which the mannitol can be readily crystallized (Fuchs, 1987). Currently mannitol is primarily synthesized from starch. 

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