E421 - Mannitol
Synonyms: E421Mannitol
Products: Found in 571 products
Mannitol (E421) is a sugar alcohol used to sweeten and bulk sugar-free foods. It tastes mildly sweet with a cool feel on the tongue and doesn’t pick up much moisture, which helps foods stay dry and free-flowing.
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At a glance
- What it does: sweetener, bulking agent, anti-caking/dusting aid, and moisture control.
- Taste/texture: about half as sweet as table sugar, with a gentle cooling sensation.
- Calories: counted as about 1.6 kcal per gram in U.S. nutrition labeling (less than sugar).
- Where you’ll see it: sugar-free gum, mints, hard candies, coatings, and powdered mixes.
- Tolerance: large amounts can cause gas or a laxative effect; some packages carry a warning.
- Teeth: does not promote tooth decay.
- Dietary notes: vegan-friendly; gluten-free by nature.
Why is Mannitol added to food?
Food makers use mannitol to add mild sweetness, provide bulk when sugar is reduced, and keep surfaces dry and non-sticky (for example, as a dusting powder on chewing gum and mints). In the United States, FDA lists mannitol as a permitted food ingredient, and in the European Union it is approved as E421 under the sweetener class.12
What foods contain Mannitol?
You’ll most often find mannitol in:
- Sugar-free chewing gum, breath mints, and hard candies
- Coatings and dusting powders that need to resist moisture pickup
- Powdered drink mixes and instant dessert mixes
- Some reduced-sugar baked goods and snack coatings
It may be used on its own or together with other polyol sweeteners such as sorbitol, xylitol, isomalt, or erythritol. In the EU, mannitol (E421) is an approved additive for specified food categories and use levels.2
What can replace Mannitol?
Alternatives depend on the job you need done:
- For bulk sweetening with similar “cooling” taste: xylitol, isomalt, or erythritol
- For stronger sweetness without bulk: high-intensity sweeteners like sucralose, aspartame, or acesulfame K, paired with a bulking agent
- For anti-caking or flow: silicon dioxide or calcium silicate
- For humectancy (to hold moisture) rather than dryness: sorbitol
How is Mannitol made?
Commercial mannitol is typically produced by catalytic hydrogenation of sugars (for example, from starch hydrolysates or invert sugar) followed by purification and crystallization to meet food-grade specifications.3 EU specifications define identity and purity criteria for E421, including limits on related sugars and metals.3
Is Mannitol safe to eat?
Mannitol is allowed for use in foods in the U.S. and EU when used as intended and meeting purity specifications.12 Like other sugar alcohols, large intakes can cause gastrointestinal discomfort. In the U.S., when a “sugar-free” food could reasonably be eaten in amounts that provide 20 grams of mannitol per day, the label must state “Excess consumption may have a laxative effect.”4
Does Mannitol have any benefits?
- Fewer calories than sugar: U.S. regulations assign mannitol an energy value of about 1.6 kcal/g for nutrition labeling, which is lower than sucrose at 4 kcal/g.5
- Tooth-friendly: FDA allows a dental health claim for noncariogenic carbohydrate sweeteners; mannitol can be used in foods that meet the criteria (for example, not lowering dental plaque pH below 5.7).6
- Stable and non-hygroscopic: it doesn’t brown easily and resists moisture pickup, helping coatings stay dry and crisp (useful in confections and gum).
Who should avoid Mannitol?
- People sensitive to sugar alcohols: If you notice gas, bloating, or loose stools after eating polyols, limit mannitol-containing foods. U.S. labels must warn about a possible laxative effect in certain “sugar-free” products if typical use could reach 20 g/day.4
- Young children and those with sensitive digestion may be more susceptible to gastrointestinal effects; moderate intake helps.
If you have specific medical conditions or are on a diet that restricts polyols, follow your healthcare provider’s advice.
Myths & facts
- “It’s alcohol.” Fact: Sugar alcohols don’t contain ethanol (the alcohol in drinks); the name refers to their chemical structure.
- “It’s artificial and not found in nature.” Fact: Mannitol occurs naturally in some plants and seaweeds, though the food-grade ingredient is usually made industrially.
- “All sugar alcohols are calorie-free.” Fact: Mannitol has calories, but fewer than sugar.
- “It causes cavities.” Fact: Mannitol is noncariogenic and can be used in tooth-friendly formulations when criteria are met.
Mannitol in branded foods
Look for “mannitol” in the ingredient list, often alongside other sweeteners. Nutrition Facts panels in the U.S. may list “sugar alcohol” in the carbohydrates line. On some sugar-free candies and gums, you may also see a statement such as “Excess consumption may have a laxative effect,” which is required in certain cases.4
References
Footnotes
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Food Additive Status List — U.S. FDA. https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list ↩ ↩2
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Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — Food additives (approval framework for E-numbers, including E421). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32008R1333 ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 — Specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 (includes E421 mannitol). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩2
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21 CFR 101.13(q)(2) — Labeling for sugar-free foods containing sorbitol or mannitol (laxative statement). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-101/section-101.13 ↩ ↩2 ↩3
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21 CFR 101.9 — Nutrition labeling of food; calorie factors for sugar alcohols. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-101/section-101.9 ↩
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21 CFR 101.80 — Health claims: noncariogenic carbohydrate sweeteners and dental caries. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/part-101/section-101.80 ↩
Popular Questions
What is mannitol used for?
In foods, E421 mannitol is used as a low‑calorie sweetener, bulking agent, and humectant/stabilizer (common in sugar‑free gum, candies, and baked goods); it’s also a pharmaceutical excipient. Medically, IV mannitol is an osmotic diuretic to reduce intracranial and intraocular pressure and promote diuresis.
How mannitol works?
As a food ingredient, it’s poorly absorbed so it provides fewer calories and a low glycemic response, with a mild cooling taste. As a medicine, it acts osmotically—filtered by the kidneys and minimally reabsorbed—raising plasma and tubular fluid osmolality to draw water from tissues and increase urine output, lowering brain/eye pressure.
How does mannitol work?
It works osmotically when given IV, increasing blood and renal filtrate osmolality so water moves from tissues into the circulation and then into urine, reducing intracranial and intraocular pressure. In foods, its limited absorption yields a lower-calorie, low‑glycemic sweetening effect.
Is mannitol safe for dogs?
Mannitol isn’t known to be acutely toxic to dogs like xylitol, but ingestion can cause diarrhea and gas, and large amounts may lead to dehydration or electrolyte imbalances. Therapeutic IV mannitol should only be used by a veterinarian; consult your vet especially for dogs with kidney or heart disease.
Is mannitol salt agar selective or differential?
Both: the high salt concentration makes it selective for staphylococci, and mannitol with phenol red makes it differential by turning yellow when mannitol‑fermenting organisms (e.g., many S. aureus) produce acid.
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