Polyols are used in an increasingly wide variety of commercial food applications in the market today. They exhibit a number of functional and organoleptic characteristics that make them ideal for use in most food applications, whilst the range of polyols available allows for the development of products with a broad range of characteristics and enhanced customer appeal. As the polyols are able to replace all of the functions associated with sucrose in food products, they permit the formulator to balance the finished product with regard to its sensory characteristics, such as flavour, colour and texture. The polyols can therefore be used to produce no sugar added, reduced sugar or sugar free alternatives to traditional recipes, which also offer significant additional benefits including reduced calorie, suitability for diabetics and toothfriendly benefits.

Polyols are versatile ingredients for food (re-)formulation

New nutrition policies are developed all over the world with the aim to contribute to the prevention of overweight and obesity, and subsequently to the prevention of a number of associated non-communicable diseases. These policies often insist on the need for healthy formulated foods as part of a global approach.

Poyols are bulking ingredients with many technological properties similar to sugars, with varying degrees of sweetness (less or the same as sucrose). In addition they have proven benefits in terms of dental health, improved glycaemic control and calorie-reduction. These properties make them a unique asset in healthy food formulation.

To learn more about the benefits of polyols for food (re-)formulation, please download our brochure here.

Polyols used in confectionery

The variety of polyols available allows the formulator to produce alternatives to all types of traditional sugar confectionery without having to compromise on taste or quality. The diversity of the functional properties offered by the different polyols, permits the tailoring of products to meet the exact requirements of this market, particularly with regard to sweetness, flavour and texture.The use of polyols also offers the opportunity to produce guilt free indulgent confectionery products with additional health benefits, which represents a significant growth sector within the confectionery market.

  1. Hard Candy (High Boilings)
  2. Chewing Gum
  3. Coatings (Dragees)
  4. Soft & Chewy Candy
  5. Gums, Pastilles and Jellies
    1. Gelatine Gums
    2. Gum Arabic Pastilles
    3. Pectin Jellies
  6. Tablets & Compressed Confectionery (including Mints)
  7. Lozenges
  8. Aerated Confectionery
  9. Fondant and Grained Confectionery
  10. Toffee and Caramel
  11. Fudge
  12. Snack Bars

Polyols used in Chocolate

The development of chocolate with reduced sugar and calories has been revolutionized through the use of the polyols. Their use permits the production of excellent quality no added sugar and sugar free chocolate. In addition to block chocolate, polyol based chocolate can also be used for coating, enrobing and the manufacture of inclusions for bakery and ice cream applications.

Polyols used in Baked Goods

Polyols can be used in numerous bakery products to replace sugar, and in most cases a suitable polyol (or combination of polyols) can be selected to permit the direct weight for weight substitution of sugar in these applications (with the addition of an intense sweetener, if required). Finished products have similar or superior characteristics to their traditional sugar containing counterparts.

  1. Cakes
  2. Biscuits
  3. Cereal and Nutrition Bars
  4. Icings
  5. Fillings
  6. Frostings

Polyols used in Dairy & Ice Cream

It is possible to produce high quality, reduced calorie dairy products using the polyols. The polyols offer a range of freezing point depression factors, permitting the development of frozen products with a broad spectrum of textures, melt and scooping characteristics.

  1. Ice Cream
  2. Frozen Deserts
  3. Water Ices
  4. Fermented Dairy Products

Polyols used in Jams, Syrups, Sauces and Fruit Preserves

The polyols are ideal ingredients for use in jams, syrups, sauces and fruit preparations. The sweetness and flavour enhancing effects of the polyols allow for the production of excellent quality no added sugar and reduced sugar products. Combinations of different polyols can be used to provide the desired sweetness and texture.

Polyols used in Table Top Sweeteners

Polyols are suitable for use as bulking agents/diluents for intense sweeteners in reduced calorie table top sweetener applications.

Polyols used in Surimi

Polyols can be used as cryoprotectants in surimi, in the same way as sucrose, and in many cases are required at lower concentrations to provide the same functionality.