With the continuous update of erythritol production and extraction technology in recent years. The substantial price reduction provides the basis for a wide range of applications of erythritol. Erythritol is also widely used as a food additive.
Erythritol Source
Erythritol is a natural active substance that widely exists in nature. Erythritol exists in seaweed, lichen, mushroom, melon, grape, and common fermented foods such as soy sauce, wine, and chewing gum. In addition, it can also be detected in a small amount in the eyeballs, plasma, and fetal fluid of animals.
At present, there are three main production methods of erythritol, namely biological extraction method, chemical synthesis method and microbial fermentation method. In comparison, the microbial fermentation method has become the most ideal erythritol production method because of its mild production conditions, stable product quality, and high food safety.
At present, erythritol is produced on a large scale by microbial fermentation at home and abroad. Most of the microorganisms used are food-grade hyperosmotic yeasts, such as Candida, Pichia, and Trigonopsis. ), Moniliella, Torulopsis, Trichospornides, Hansenula, Yarrowia and other genera.
Foods with Erythritol
Erythritol has a low melting point, low calorie, low hygroscopicity, good sweetness coordination, and absorbs more heat when dissolved. Moreover, it has many excellent properties such as high stability to acid and heat, and has been widely used in the food industry in recent years. As early as the 1980s, Japan was the first to introduce sugar-free tea drinks added with erythritol, which was widely recognized by consumers. Now more and more low-sugar and low-calorie beverages and sweets such as candy, chewing gum, and chocolate use erythritol to meet market needs and meet consumer health requirements.
In addition, erythritol also has antioxidant properties, which can scavenge free radicals and inhibit their generation. It has been reported in the literature that adding erythritol to lemon juice drinks not only improves the taste of the drink, but also protects the vitamins in the drink and prolongs the shelf life.
There is no enzyme system to metabolize erythritol in the human body. After entering the human body, erythritol does not participate in the metabolism of sugar and hardly causes changes in blood sugar. Most of it is excreted in urine through the kidneys. This unique metabolic feature makes erythritol safe for special consumption groups with sugar limit such as diabetic patients. Therefore, erythritol is widely used in functional foods and beverages for special populations such as diabetes, glucose intolerance, and obesity.
With the rise of the "green baking" concept, erythritol is used to replace part of sucrose in baked products to maintain a good taste. It also repels moisture and extends food shelf life. Kraft added erythritol to Oreo series products, which reduced the calories of biscuits and added a unique refreshing taste.
In the food processing industry, it is often necessary to add some natural sugar alcohol compounds. This can not only improve some functional properties of dehydrated food and protein, but also stabilize and protect biological macromolecules in solution, inhibit the formation of macromolecular aggregates, inhibit protein denaturation at the air-water interface, and improve the stability of protein emulsions in different environmental factors. Stability under conditions etc.
Erythritol can also significantly improve the bad smell of plant extracts, collagen, peptides and other substances. Therefore, erythritol has been added to the formula of some collagen products to improve the taste.
Summary
As a promising natural sweetener, erythritol has drawn more and more attention from the food industry. Therefore, it is believed that in the near future, erythritol will go deep into our lives and be used in every aspect of our lives.