Polyols from starch

Polyols, or polyalcohols, are a well-known family of products widely used throughout the world. In the European Union (EU) the family of polyols includes six products; isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol. In the USA these products are described as sugar alcohols chemically defined as saccharide derivatives in which a ketone or aldehyde group is replaced by a hydroxyl group, and whose use is listed by the Food and Drug Administration or is generally recognized as safe.