Xylitol

Xylitol ( /ˈzaɪlɪtɒl/; Greek: ξύλον, xyl, "wood" + suffix -itol, used to denote sugar alcohols) is a sugar alcohol sweetener used as a sugar substitute. Xylitol has the formula (CHOH)₃(CH₂OH)₂ and is an achiral isomer of pentane-1,2,3,4,5-pentol. Xylitol is roughly as sweet as sucrose with 33% fewer calories. Unlike other sweeteners, xylitol is actively beneficial for dental health, reducing caries to a third in regular use, and has been shown to reduce the incidence of ear infections.

Xylitol is found in the fibers of many fruits and vegetables, and can be extracted from various berries, oats, and mushrooms, as well as fibrous material such as corn husks and sugar cane bagasse, and birch. However, industrial production starts from xylan (a hemicellulose) extracted from hardwoods or corncobs, which is hydrolyzed into xylose and catalytically hydrogenated into xylitol.