Mannitol

What Is Mannitol?

It is a sugar alcohol, or a polyol, that naturally occurrs in small quantities in various fruits and vegetables. It can also be produced synthetically. This sugar alcohol is widely utilized in both the food industry and medicine.

Sources from

Different methods can obtain D-mannitol powder.

The first is to extract it from mannose (a type of sugar). This process usually involves reducing mannose to produce mannitol. Mannose can be extracted from natural sources such as fruits and vegetables, apples, berries, and mushrooms.

Kelp extraction is a traditional production method that uses kelp as a raw material while producing alginate; the kelp soaking liquid after iodization is concentrated, impurity-removed, separated, evaporated and concentrated, cooled, and crystallized to produce this substance.

The chemical synthesis method uses sucrose and glucose as raw materials and produces this sugar alcohol through hydrolysis, diastereoisomerization, and enzymatic isomerization, followed by a hydrogenation reaction. Raw materials do not limit this method and is suitable for large-scale production.

This substance is also present in other organisms, such as plants, algae, edible fungi, and lichens.

Is Mannitol Salt Agar The Another Form?

No. Mannitol Salt Agar and Mannitol look like two related things. Actually, these are two different concepts. They differ in their applications and properties.

Mannitol is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol/polyol. It is used as a sweetener and humectant in the food industry because it has low calories and less effect on blood sugar. In the medical field, it is used as an osmotic diuretic to treat diseases such as cerebral edema, glaucoma, and renal failure. In addition to this, it also reduces intraocular and intracranial pressure.

Mannitol Salt Agar (MSA) is a special microbiological culture medium for selective isolation and identification of Staphylococcus aureus. It contains a high concentration of sodium chloride (usually 7.5%), which helps to inhibit the growth of other bacteria except Staphylococcus.

D-Mannitol in Mannitol Salt Agar acts as a fermentable sugar. S. aureus can ferment mannitol and produce acidic metabolites, resulting in a yellow color of the colonies.

The medium also contains phenol red as a pH indicator, agar as a coagulant, and peptone and beef extract to provide nitrogen, vitamins, and growth factors.

In summary, mannitol is an edible sweetener and has many uses in the medical field. Mannitol salt agar is a microbiological culture medium specifically used to isolate and identify Staphylococcus aureus. Mannitol in MSA is one of the culture medium components that promote the growth and identification of specific bacteria.

Is D-Mannitol The Same As Mannitol?

Yes! They usually refer to the same chemical substance. In chemical nomenclature, “D” stands for a specific stereoisomer called the D-isomer. For this substance, “D” is its most common and main form in organisms.

Mannitol is a six-carbon sugar alcohol with the chemical formula C6H14O6. It is a derivative of mannose (a six-carbon sugar) obtained by reducing the aldehyde group. In nature, it is found in some animals’ plants, seaweeds, and body fluids. This sugar alcohol is widely used for its osmotic properties in industrial and medical applications. It is also used as a humectant in cosmetics and personal care products.

In some literature or product labels, “D-Mannitol” may be specifically mentioned to emphasize that it is the D-isomer. But in most cases, when “Mannitol” is mentioned, it means D-Mannitol. Unless specifically mentioned as L-Mannitol or other isomers, “Mannitol” defaults to D-Mannitol.

Mannitol VS Stevia VS Xylitol VS Maltitol VS Mannose

As a substitute for sugar, various natural and synthetic sweeteners vary in their sources, sweetness, calories, and how they are used.

Mannitol is a polyhydroxy alcohol, an isomer of santol, used as an artificial sweetener. It is usually extracted from plants, such as seaweed and certain mushrooms. Its sweetness is about half to two-thirds that of sucrose. It contains about 1.6 calories per gram. This natural sugar alcohol is caloric. Although less than sucrose, it does not contain zero calories. It has a smaller effect on blood sugar but still slightly raises blood sugar levels. The substance can be used in various foods and medicines, including as a sweetener for candy, chewing gum, and medicines. This sugar alcohol is metabolized slowly in the human body and is mainly excreted through the kidneys.

Stevia sugar comes from the leaves of the stevia plant. It is much sweeter than sucrose. Depending on the purity of the extraction, stevia can be 200 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. It is considered a zero-calorie or near-zero-calorie sweetener. This natural sweetener is generally considered not to affect blood sugar and is suitable for diabetics. Stevia is often used as a table sweetener and is widely used in the food industry for beverages, snacks, etc.

Like mannitol, xylitol is also a sugar alcohol sweetener. It is usually produced through a fermentation process. Its sweetness is comparable to that of sucrose. Xylitol contains about 2.4 calories per gram. It is used in chewing gum, candy, medicines, etc. It is particularly used in oral health products such as toothpaste and mouthwash. It has been widely studied for its benefits to oral health, such as possibly helping to reduce dental plaque and saliva levels. It has a low glycemic index (GI) and less affects blood sugar, making it suitable for diabetics. In addition, xylitol is more likely to cause digestive problems than other sugar alcohols. On the other hand, Erythritol is considered to be better tolerated by the human body and does not cause digestive problems.

Maltitol is a disaccharide alcohol produced by the hydrogenation of maltose and used as a sugar substitute. It is about 0.9 times sweeter than sucrose. It contains about 2.1 calories per gram. It is commonly used in candies, candy coatings, ice cream, baked products, etc. Both mannitol and maltitol are only partially absorbed in the small intestine, and colonic microorganisms ferment the unabsorbed part in the large intestine. Sugar alcohols absorb heat when dissolved, which produces a cool taste. Mannitol has a significant cooling effect, while maltitol has the weakest cooling effect.

Mannose is a six-carbon sugar, a monosaccharide, with an aldehyde group. Mannitol is a sugar alcohol, a reduced form of mannose, containing an alcohol group (-OH) and an aldehyde group (-CHO), but the aldehyde group is reduced to an alcohol group. Mannose is present in various plant and animal tissues and can be obtained by hydrolysis of the corresponding polysaccharides. Its sweetness is similar to that of sucrose. It contains about four calories per gram. It has applications in biochemical research, especially in glycobiology and immunology, for studying cell surface glycoproteins and glycolipids. In some studies, it has shown anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. This monosaccharide can be utilized by human cells through specific metabolic pathways.

According to the FDA, all of the above sweeteners or sugar are considered “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS).

Specification Sheet Reference

General Mannitol Powder Production Process

1. Choose raw materials based on availability, cost, and purity.
2. React sugar with hydrogen gas using a catalyst at high temperatures and pressures to produce Mannitol.
3. Cool the solution to induce its crystallization, separating it from other components.
4. Separate its crystals from the mother liquor using filtration, then wash to remove impurities.
5. Dry its crystals remove excess moisture using a tray or spray drying method.
6. Mill-dried crystals to achieve the desired particle size distribution.
7. Pack powder into containers, ensuring protection from moisture and contamination.