In Spain and Switzerland, the Institute of Chemical Research of Catalonia and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology researchers have found a way to get polyalcohol sweeteners like mannitol or ribitol from cheap renewable sources like glucose.
Polyalcohols are often used in foods like gum or even toothpaste because they offer the sweet taste without the cavities. However, they aren’t cheap as they can’t be found easily in nature and when produced industrially, they need very specific and controlled environments making it a pain for wide scale production.
By being able to reorganize sugar atoms, researchers found a way to get the valuable polyalcohols from regular sugar easily and more affordably, bringing a smile to candy, gum and toothpaste manufacturers around the world.