E-numbers / Sweeteners / E964
also: hydrogenated starch hydrolysate · maltitol syrup blend · polyglucitol
A liquid sugar alcohol (polyol) used as a low-calorie bulk sweetener and humectant in reduced-sugar foods.
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Like all polyols, it draws water into the gut.
Why it’s worth knowing. Like all polyols, it draws water into the gut. At the amounts found in reduced-sugar foods, intake can reach levels linked to bloating, cramping and loose stools. Products carrying it must display a laxative warning on pack.
Polyglycitol syrup is a mixture of hydrogenated glucose syrups, principally maltitol syrup with varying proportions of other sugar alcohols (sorbitol, mannitol, hydrogenated oligosaccharides). It is produced by catalytic hydrogenation of glucose syrups derived from starch. The result is a viscous liquid sweetener.
As a bulk sweetener it provides sweetness and body at roughly 0.4 kcal/g (compared to 4 kcal/g for sugar). As a humectant it retains moisture in baked goods and confectionery, extending shelf life and texture. It also reduces the glycaemic response compared with sucrose, because sugar alcohols are only partially absorbed in the small intestine.
Reduced-sugar and sugar-free confectionery (hard candies, chews, chocolate), sugar-free chewing gum, diabetic-friendly biscuits and cakes, ice cream, jam, and medicated confectionery (throat lozenges). On a UK label it appears as 'polyglycitol syrup' or listed under 'sugar alcohols' in the ingredients.
Polyglycitol syrup is a polyol: it is only partially absorbed in the small intestine. The unabsorbed portion draws water into the gut by osmosis and is fermented by colonic bacteria, producing gas. EFSA found in 2009 that estimated dietary exposure at the proposed use levels was close to the doses at which gastrointestinal disturbances have been observed in humans. For this reason the EU and UK require a 'laxative' warning on products containing it.
EFSA found the toxicological data on polyglycitol syrup were insufficient to set a numerical ADI, and noted that estimated dietary exposure was close to levels associated with gastric disturbance in humans.
For polyols as a class, gastrointestinal effects including osmotic diarrhoea and bloating are the primary adverse outcomes in humans at intakes of roughly 20-30g per day, though individual thresholds vary considerably.
When a regulator cannot set an Acceptable Daily Intake it does not automatically mean the additive is harmful. In this case EFSA concluded there was no indication of a toxicological safety concern at the proposed uses, but the evidence base was thin enough that a numerical upper limit could not be derived. The laxative labelling requirement acts as the practical consumer-facing control in lieu of a formal ADI.
EFSA's ANS Panel stated that toxicological data were insufficient to establish an ADI but found no indication of a safety concern based on the available evidence for the proposed food uses.
Because polyglycitol syrup is poorly absorbed it raises blood glucose far less than sucrose, which is why it appears in products marketed to people managing blood sugar. It is also non-cariogenic, meaning it does not feed the bacteria that cause dental cavities. These properties are well established across the polyol class.
Sugar alcohols including the components of polyglycitol syrup (sorbitol, maltitol, hydrogenated oligosaccharides) are non-cariogenic and produce attenuated glycaemic responses compared with sucrose.
People with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other gut sensitivities are likely to experience bloating, cramping or loose stools at lower intakes than the general population. Children may also reach the threshold for laxative effects at smaller portions. Look for 'polyglycitol syrup' or 'sugar alcohols' in the ingredients, and the laxative warning statement on the front or back of pack.
The science on polyglycitol syrup is narrower than for some other polyols: EFSA noted in 2009 that the evidence base was thin enough to prevent setting a formal daily limit, which is uncommon. In practice the regulator's confidence rests on the broader polyol class evidence rather than substance-specific human trials. The gut effects are real and well-documented across the polyol family; whether polyglycitol syrup specifically sits at the more or less potent end of the class is not fully resolved by the current literature.
No. Polyglycitol syrup is an approved food additive in both the UK and EU, permitted in a range of reduced-sugar and sugar-free products. Products using it must carry a laxative warning on the label.
UK and EU labelling law requires this warning on any food containing polyols, including polyglycitol syrup, because these sweeteners are only partially digested and can draw water into the gut at higher intakes, causing bloating, cramping or loose stools.
It is most common in sugar-free or reduced-sugar confectionery such as hard candies, chews and chocolate, diabetic biscuits and cakes, sugar-free chewing gum, and some throat lozenges. Check the ingredients list for 'polyglycitol syrup'.
Yes. Polyglycitol syrup is derived from plant starch (typically wheat or maize) and contains no animal-derived ingredients. However, always check the full product label, as other ingredients in the same food may not be vegan.
Last reviewed: 20 June 2026
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