As the only high-tech enterprise in South China utilizing corn as the starting raw material to process and produce polyols and starch sugars, our company (Huanfa Biotechnology) ranks second nationwide in the sugar alcohol industry. We possess an advanced production capacity of 250,000 tons of liquid sugar alcohols and 50,000 tons of solid sugar alcohols per year. Backed by R&D platforms such as the Provincial Starch Sugar Engineering Center and a Doctoral Workstation, we are fully committed to developing premium sugar-free food ingredients and pharmaceutical excipients. Our core product portfolio includes: Sorbitol (Liquid/Crystalline), Mannitol, Maltitol (Crystalline), and Isomalt.
Polyols (sugar alcohols) are deeply processed derivatives of starch sugar. They are polyhydroxy compounds produced by hydrogenating, refining, concentrating, or crystallizing starch sugar (where the aldehyde or ketone groups on the sugar molecule are reduced to hydroxyl groups). Although they are not sugars, sugar alcohols possess characteristics such as low sweetness, low sugar, low fat, and low caloric value. They exhibit high stability against acids and heat and do not easily undergo the Maillard reaction. As a result, they are widely used as core ingredients in "0 Sugar, 0 Calorie" sugar-free foods, anti-caries products, and nutritional sweeteners suitable for diabetics. 
As the only high-tech enterprise in South China utilizing corn as the starting raw material to process and produce polyols and starch sugars, our company (Huanfa Biotechnology) ranks second nationwide in the sugar alcohol industry. We possess an advanced production capacity of 250,000 tons of liquid sugar alcohols and 50,000 tons of solid sugar alcohols per year. Backed by R&D platforms such as the Provincial Starch Sugar Engineering Center and a Doctoral Workstation, we are fully committed to developing premium sugar-free food ingredients and pharmaceutical excipients. Our core product portfolio includes: Sorbitol (Liquid/Crystalline), Mannitol, Maltitol (Crystalline), and Isomalt.
1. Sorbitol (Focus: γ-Type Hard Crystalline Sorbitol)
Crystal Form Advantage: Our company specifically focuses on the development and production of γ-type crystalline sorbitol (a compact hexahedral crystal). Compared to other crystal forms, it is the most stable, possesses the highest melting point, and exhibits high hardness.
Moisture Resistance: It features the slowest moisture absorption rate and does not absorb moisture under ordinary humidity levels (70-80%), overcoming the caking issues associated with conventional sorbitol.
Excellent Compressibility: The particle size distribution is highly uniform and controllable, offering superior compactability and compressibility, making it exceptionally ideal for manufacturing tablet candies.
2. Mannitol (The Most Moisture-Resistant Hexa-Carbon Sugar Alcohol)
Extremely Low Hygroscopicity: It is the least hygroscopic variety among hexa-carbon sugar alcohols, and both its aqueous solutions and physical properties are exceptionally stable.
Superb Formulation Stability: It remains highly stable against dilute acids and alkalis, does not oxidize in air, and does not chemically or physically react with active pharmaceutical ingredients, making it the finest excipient for premium pharmaceutical formulations and candy coatings.
Refreshing Taste: It provides a distinctive refreshing, cooling mouthfeel, delays calcium phosphate precipitation, and supports the absorption of calcium.
3. Maltitol
Sucrose-like Flavor Profile: Recognized as a premium, low-calorie sweetener utilized early in the industry, it delivers high sweetness (approx. 90% of sucrose) with a pure taste, and induces negligible rises in blood insulin levels upon consumption.
High Processing Stability: Highly resistant to heat and acids, it prevents decomposition, discoloration, or degradation during the baking and processing of high-viscosity, high-sugar fillings.
4. Isomalt
Excellent Taste-Balancing Properties: It offers a clean, refreshing sweetness with a prolonged duration, and has a unique ability to mask bitter off-notes and balance overall flavors, closely matching the taste characteristics of sucrose.
High Tolerance and Extreme Stability: It exhibits a low negative heat of solution, resulting in no intense artificial cooling effect in the mouth. It is highly resistant to acid and heat, showing virtually no hydrolysis under harsh conditions (a 20% solution remains fully stable at pH 2.0 at 100℃ for 60 minutes).
| Item | Sucrose (Reference) | Sorbitol | Mannitol | Maltitol | Isomalt |
| Carbon Count | 12 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 12 |
| Relative Molecular Mass | 342 | 182 | 182 | 344 | 344 |
| Sweetness (Sucrose = 1.0) | 1 | 0.7 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 0.6 |
| Caloric Value (Kcal/g) | 4 | 2.6 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 2.0 (Approx. half of sucrose) |
| Melting Point (℃) | 190 | 88 ~ 102 | 165 ~ 170 | 135 ~ 140 | 145 ~ 150 |
| Solubility (g/100g H₂O at 25℃) | 203.9 | 222 | 18.2 | 150 | 25 |
| Heat of Solution (J/g) | -17.9 | -110.8 | -120.8 | -79 | -39.4 (Low cooling effect) |
1. Food and Beverage Sector
Tablet Candies & Sugar-Free Chewing Gums: Utilizing the superior tableting characteristics of $\gamma$-type crystalline sorbitol, alongside the anti-sticking and non-hygroscopic properties of mannitol and isomalt, these products are widely incorporated into premium chewing gums, anti-caries candies, and candy coatings.
Sugar-Free Baking & Fillings: Maltitol can replace sucrose on a 1:1 basis in ice creams, cream cakes, beverages, and sugar-free fillings, helping to prevent body fat accumulation, making it ideal for weight management and senior nutrition.
Surimi and Seafood Processing: Leveraging the extremely low water content and excellent water-binding performance of $\gamma$-type crystalline sorbitol, it is widely utilized in high-grade surimi and shredded squid processing as a texturizer, humectant, and fresh-keeping agent.
2. Pharmaceutical Industry
Clinical Therapeutics & Infusions: Owing to its outstanding diuretic and dehydrating therapeutic properties, mannitol is extensively manufactured into clinical intravenous infusions utilized for reducing intracranial and intraocular pressure.
Tablet Excipients & Binders: Pharmaceutical-grade crystalline sorbitol and mannitol maintain excellent chemical stability, serving as premium excipients, drug dispersants, diluents, and capsule plasticizers for hard-tablet formulations such as anti-cancer drugs, antibiotics, and vitamins.
Health Supplements: Acts as a critical starting material in the synthesis of Vitamin C.
3. Daily Chemical and Chemical Industries
Humectants & Surface-Active Agents: Sorbitol and mannitol are widely deployed as premium moisturizing humectants in cosmetics and skincare products, as well as texturizers in toothpaste formulation, or as whitening and washing aids in the textile industry.
Resin & Chemical Synthesis: In chemical processing, maltitol and mannitol serve as vital raw materials for synthesizing alkyd resins, rosin esters, PVC plasticizers, surfactants, and concrete water-reducing agents.
Q: Why are sugar alcohols not considered sugars, yet used as sweeteners? Do they cause blood glucose spikes?
A: Chemically, sugar alcohols are polyols obtained by hydrogenating sugar molecules to reduce their aldehyde or ketone groups into hydroxyl groups; they do not fall under monosaccharides or disaccharides. Their metabolic pathways in the human body do not rely heavily on insulin, meaning they have virtually no impact on blood glucose levels (inducing negligible insulin fluctuations for certain types). This renders them an ideal low-calorie nutritional sweetener for diabetics, individuals with obesity, and consumers seeking "0 sugar" health choices.
Q: What is $\gamma$-type crystalline sorbitol, and what critical advantage does it bring to tablet candy manufacturing?
A: Liquid sorbitol can crystallize into four distinct crystal structures: $\alpha, \beta, \gamma,$ and $\Delta$. Among these, the $\gamma$-type is a compact hexahedral crystal and represents the most stable form. Thanks to its exceptionally tight crystal structure, it possesses the highest melting point, greatest hardness, and the slowest moisture absorption rate (it remains completely dry under ordinary humidity levels). This enables manufactured tablet candies or hard candies to achieve uniform particle size, outstanding compression moldability, and prevents them from softening, deforming, or caking during storage.
Q: Why is it necessary to add sugar alcohols to tooth-friendly chewing gums?
A: Traditional sucrose is easily fermented by oral microorganisms (such as Streptococcus mutans) to produce acidic substances that corrode tooth enamel. In contrast, sugar alcohols cannot be utilized or fermented by oral bacteria. They do not lower the pH in the oral cavity; instead, they help raise the pH level, preventing the formation of dental plaque and effectively serving as an excellent anti-caries agent to protect teeth.
Q: What is the primary difference in hygroscopicity between your company's Mannitol and Isomalt in practical applications?
A: Mannitol is the least hygroscopic variety among the hexa-carbon sugar alcohols, and its physical properties remain extraordinarily stable. Therefore, it is best suited as an anti-sticking dusting or separating agent for maltose, rice cakes, premium capsules, and confectionery coatings. Isomalt, on the other hand, is slightly hygroscopic. Its primary strength lies in its ability to mask bitter off-notes from active ingredients and balance the overall flavor profile, while exhibiting exceptional thermal and acid stability (resisting hydrolysis even under high temperature and strong acid for an hour), making it ideal for complex thermal food processing.
Q: What advantages does your company possess regarding safety and quality assurance in sugar alcohol production?
A: Polyol manufacturing is a deep-processing industry involving high-risk processes such as hydrogen production and high-pressure hydrogenation, which entails an exceptionally high market entry barrier. Our company is a large-scale, high-tech agricultural enterprise holding a formal Work Safety License. Furthermore, through our dedicated subsidiary, Guangdong Huanfa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., we manufacture pharmaceutical-grade excipients strictly in accordance with the Chinese Pharmacopoeia (CP 2020). Our advanced crystal granulation, milling, and screening lines are fully equipped with online metal detectors to guarantee high product purity and zero contamination.
EN
