Crystal of erythritol

Erythritol is a natural sugar alcohol found in certain fruits and fermented foods. It is approved in many countries for use as an artificial sweetener, as it is around 70% as sweet as sucrose but is not metabolised by the body to release energy. In addition, it does not cause tooth decay and is absorbed from the intestine, so is less likely to cause gastric side effects than other artificial sweeteners. Recently, it has also been investigated for use as an inert carrier in pharmaceutical dosage forms such as tablets, capsules and dry powder inhalers, where its low hygroscopicity makes it particularly attractive. The crystal is 800microns long.