E965I - D-Maltitol

At a glance

• What it is: A sugar alcohol (polyol) sweetener; the solid form of the additive E965.
• What it does: Sweetens, adds bulk, helps keep foods moist, and stabilizes texture.
• Taste and calories: About as sweet as sugar, with roughly 2.4 kcal per gram (less than sugar’s 4 kcal/g).
• Common in: Sugar‑free chocolates, candies, baked goods, protein bars, ice creams, and chewing gum.
• Labels you’ll see: “Maltitol,” “E965,” or “E965i”; in U.S. Nutrition Facts it appears under “Sugar Alcohol.”
• Tolerance: Large amounts may cause gas or a laxative effect.

Why is D-Maltitol added to food?

Food makers use D‑maltitol because it tastes close to sugar and also behaves like it. It sweetens, provides bulk so products don’t feel thin or watery, helps keep baked goods soft (humectant), and supports smooth textures in chocolate, fillings, and ice cream. It also browns less than sucrose during baking, which can be helpful in some recipes.

What foods contain D-Maltitol?

You will often find D‑maltitol in:

• Sugar‑free or no‑added‑sugar chocolate bars and coatings
• Hard candies, caramels, and chewable sweets
• Chewing gum and breath mints
• Protein and meal‑replacement bars
• Reduced‑sugar cookies, cakes, and pastries
• Ice cream, frozen desserts, and dessert sauces
• Pharmaceutical lozenges and cough drops

What can replace D-Maltitol?

Possible substitutes depend on what the product needs (sweetness, bulk, texture, or all three):

• Other polyols (sugar alcohols): erythritol, xylitol, sorbitol, isomalt, or polyglycitol syrup.
• High‑intensity sweeteners (need a bulking agent too): sucralose, acesulfame K, or steviol glycosides.
• Bulking agents: dietary fibers or polydextrose (for body and moisture) used together with a potent sweetener.

How is D-Maltitol made?

Manufacturers start with starch from plants like corn or wheat. Enzymes break the starch into maltose (a two‑sugar unit). The maltose is then hydrogenated—hydrogen is added in the presence of a catalyst—to form D‑maltitol. The product is purified and crystallized for use as a solid sweetener. A related ingredient, “maltitol syrup,” is a mixture of maltitol and other hydrogenated starch sugars; D‑maltitol (E965i) refers to the crystalline form.

Is D-Maltitol safe to eat?

In the United States, sugar alcohols are regulated for labeling. They must be declared on the Nutrition Facts panel, and their energy value is set at 2.4 kcal per gram for labeling purposes.¹ In the European Union, maltitol (E965) is on the Union list of approved food additives and may be used in many food categories under defined conditions.²
Because large intakes can cause digestive upset, the EU requires foods with more than 10% added polyols to carry the statement “excessive consumption may produce laxative effects.”³

Does D-Maltitol have any benefits?

• Fewer calories than sugar: D‑maltitol counts as 2.4 kcal/g on labels, while sugar is 4 kcal/g.¹
• Tooth‑friendly: When used properly, sugar alcohols like maltitol may be used in foods that do not promote tooth decay, under the U.S. health claim rules for dental caries.⁴
• Good taste and texture: It has a clean sweetness close to sucrose and provides bulk and moisture without the intense aftertaste some high‑potency sweeteners have.

Who should avoid D-Maltitol?

• People who are sensitive to polyols. If you easily get gas or loose stools from sugar alcohols, start with small amounts or avoid them.
• Young children, who may be more sensitive to laxative effects.
• Anyone advised by a healthcare professional to limit polyols or follow specific digestive diets.
• People managing blood glucose should still count the carbohydrate from maltitol as part of total carbs, even though it is not listed as “sugars” on U.S. labels.¹

Myths & facts

• Myth: “Sugar‑free means calorie‑free.”
  Fact: Maltitol provides calories (2.4 kcal/g) and must be counted on the Nutrition Facts panel.¹
• Myth: “Any amount of maltitol will cause a laxative effect.”
  Fact: Tolerance varies by person and amount; the EU requires a laxative warning only when a food contains more than 10% added polyols.³
• Myth: “Maltitol is an artificial sweetener.”
  Fact: It is a sugar alcohol (polyol), a carbohydrate that both sweetens and adds bulk.
• Myth: “All sugar alcohols are the same.”
  Fact: They differ in sweetness, cooling effect, and digestive tolerance; for example, erythritol behaves differently from xylitol or sorbitol.

D-Maltitol in branded foods

You can spot D‑maltitol in ingredient lists for sugar‑free chocolates, protein bars, cookies, ice creams, chewing gum, and throat lozenges. On U.S. packages, it may appear as “maltitol” or “E965,” and its grams count toward the “Sugar Alcohol” line in the Nutrition Facts panel.¹ In the EU, labels may list “maltitol” or “E965”; some products also carry the laxative statement when the recipe uses a lot of polyols.³

References

Footnotes

1. 21 CFR 101.9 — Nutrition labeling of food. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/section-101.9 ↩ ↩² ↩³ ↩⁴ ↩⁵

2. Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 — Union list of food additives (amending Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008). EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1129/oj ↩

3. Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011 — Food information to consumers, Annex III (polyols statement). EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2011/1169/oj ↩ ↩² ↩³

4. 21 CFR 101.80 — Health claims: dental caries and sugar alcohols. U.S. Food and Drug Administration (eCFR). https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-101/subpart-E/section-101.80 ↩