E420 · CAS 50-70-4 · HS 29054400

Sorbitol

Sorbitol is a six-carbon sugar alcohol (hexitol) used as a bulk sweetener, humectant, and texturizer across food, oral care, and pharmaceutical formulations.

Chemically it is D-glucitol with formula C₆H₁₄O₆ and CAS 50-70-4. It carries roughly 60 percent of the sweetness intensity of sucrose with a cool, clean profile and contributes about 2.6 kcal per gram.

We source bulk Sorbitol from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are mostly in Shandong, Henan and Hebei. For this ingredient the minimum order is 500 kg and a 20-foot container takes 17 MT, and a smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.

Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.

or call +86-21-6858 0751

Minimum order: 500 kg
Qty in 20' FCL: 17 MT
Packaging: 250 kg plastic drum or 1,000 kg IBC tote

ISO 9001
HACCP
Halal
Kosher

Specifications

Item	Specification
Appearance	White crystalline powder (crystalline grade); clear colourless viscous syrup (70% solution)
Assay (D-Sorbitol, dried basis, crystalline grade)	≥ 99.0%
Dry Solids Content (70% solution)	69.0-71.0%
Reducing Sugars (as glucose)	≤ 0.3%
Total Sugars (as glucose)	≤ 1.0%
Loss on Drying (crystalline grade)	≤ 1.0%
pH (10% solution)	5.0-7.0
Sulphated Ash	≤ 0.1%
Chloride (as Cl)	≤ 50 mg/kg
Sulphate (as SO₄)	≤ 100 mg/kg
Nickel (as Ni)	≤ 2 mg/kg
Heavy Metals (as Pb)	≤ 10 mg/kg
Lead (as Pb)	≤ 1 mg/kg
Arsenic (as As)	≤ 2 mg/kg
Total Plate Count	≤ 1,000 CFU/g

Common Markets Grades

The trade sells sorbitol in two physical formats.

The crystalline grade is a free-flowing white powder at 99 percent minimum assay, sold as standard, fine, or extra-fine granulations for tablet direct compression, sugar-free chewing gum pellets, and dry sachet bases.

The 70 percent non-crystallising syrup is a clear viscous liquid used for toothpaste, mouthwash, syrup vehicles, and confectionery where crystal formation must be suppressed.

Pharmaceutical-grade material complies with USP, Ph. Eur., and JP monographs. Food-grade material meets FCC and JECFA purity specifications.

Applications

Sugar-free chewing gum and mints as the bulking sweetener and cooling agent
Toothpaste and mouthwash as a non-cariogenic humectant that preserves paste extrusion
Diabetic and reduced-calorie confectionery, chocolate, and bakery products
Soft caramels, jellies, and fondants where moisture retention is needed
Pharmaceutical syrups and pediatric liquid vehicles as a non-crystallising sweetener
Direct-compression tablets and chewable tablets as a diluent and binder
Soft gelatin capsules as a plasticizer in the shell film
Cosmetic creams and lotions as a humectant that draws moisture into the skin
Surimi and processed seafood as a cryoprotectant against protein denaturation during freezing
Cigarette tobacco casing as a moisture-retention aid
Vitamin C and other bulk fermentation processes as a feedstock

Brands Using Sorbitol

Widely-distributed consumer products that list Sorbitol on the ingredient label.

Brand names, product names and logos are the property of their owners. They appear here as published evidence that the ingredient is used, taken from the brand's own label or website. Their appearance is not an endorsement, and it does not mean the brand buys from us or from any manufacturer listed on this site.

China Manufacturers of Sorbitol

Top Sorbitol manufacturers in China.

Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.

How We Help Source Sorbitol

Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Sorbitol out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Sorbitol together with other ingredients such as Stevia, Erythritol and Maltitol into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.

Regulatory Status

Sorbitol is approved as a food additive in essentially every regulated market.

In the European Union it carries E number E420, with E420(i) for the crystalline form and E420(ii) for the syrup. EU labelling requires the statement excessive consumption may produce laxative effects when a serving delivers more than 10 grams.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration affirms sorbitol as GRAS for use as a nutritive sweetener under 21 CFR 184.1835. A similar laxation warning is required on U.S. food labels when daily intake may reasonably exceed 50 grams.

Pharmacopoeial monographs appear in USP-NF, Ph. Eur., JP, and BP. The substance is Halal and Kosher certifiable and is not a known allergen.

Manufacturing Process

Sorbitol Manufacturing Process

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Industrial sorbitol comes from the catalytic hydrogenation of D-glucose.

Refined dextrose syrup is reacted with hydrogen gas at 120 to 150 degrees Celsius and 40 to 150 bar over a Raney nickel catalyst. The aldehyde group of glucose is reduced to a primary alcohol, yielding sorbitol with a small fraction of mannitol byproduct.

The crude solution is filtered to remove nickel, demineralized through ion-exchange beds, and decolorised on activated carbon. Vacuum evaporation concentrates the syrup to 70 percent solids for the liquid grade.

For the crystalline grade, the syrup is further evaporated, seeded with sorbitol crystals, and crystallised in a controlled cooling profile. The wet cake is centrifuged, dried, and milled to the target particle size.