CompoAtlas

Lactitol in food supplements

6 supplements declared in France contain Lactitol as a substance or active ingredient.

Compl'Alim declarations. Compl'Alim, food supplement declarations (France), retrieved 23 October 2026.

What we know about this ingredient

Appearance

  • Crystals from absolute ethanol

  • Crystalline powder or colourless solution. Crystalline products occur in anhydrous, monohydrate and dihydrate forms. Nickel is used as a catalyst.

PubChem : Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) · 2026-10-29 · O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck and Co., Inc., 2006., p. 925.

Licence.

PubChem : EU Food Improvement Agents · 2026-10-29 · https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj.

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Manufacturing

  • For industrial production, an aqueous lactose solution (30-50 wt%) is hydrogenated at temperatures between 70 and 30 °C and a hydrogen pressure of 30-75 bar. Raney nickel is used as catalyst. After filtration, the material is subjected to ion exchange and concentrated by evaporation. Depending on the crystallization conditions, in particular temperature, lactitol is obtained as anhydrous substance, mono-, or dihydrate. The anhydrous form is formed at higher temperatures.

  • Lactitol ... is formed from lactose, which is hydrogenated in the presence of Raney-Nickel catalyst. After sedimentation (to settle the catalyst) the solutions is filtered, purified, concentrated and crystallized.

PubChem : Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) · 2026-10-29 · Schiweck H et al; Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 7th ed. (1999-2011). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; Sugar Alcohols. Online Posting Date: May 30, 2011; WHO/FAO: Expert Committee on Food Additives. Summary of Toxicological Data of Certain Food Additives Series 18: Lactitol (585-86-4) (1983). Available from, as of July 19, 2011: https://www.inchem.org/pages/jecfa.html.

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Stability

  • Lactitol ... is stable under humid conditions. It is stable to heat and does not take part in the Maillard reaction.

PubChem : Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) · 2026-10-29 · Rowe, R.C., Sheskey, P.J., Quinn, M.E.; (Eds.), Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients 6th edition Pharmaceutical Press, London, England 2009, p. 357.

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Taste described

  • 30-40% of that of sucrose. The taste is sweet and clean

PubChem : Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) · 2026-10-29 · Schiweck H et al; Ullmann's Encyclopedia of Industrial Chemistry 7th ed. (1999-2011). New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons; Sugar Alcohols. Online Posting Date: May 30, 2011.

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Use classification

  • Cosmetics -> Humectant; Skin conditioning

  • Food additives

PubChem : NORMAN Suspect List Exchange · 2026-10-29 · S13 | EUCOSMETICS | Combined Inventory of Ingredients Employed in Cosmetic Products (2000) and Revised Inventory (2006) | DOI:10.5281/zenodo.2624118.

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PubChem : EU Food Improvement Agents · 2026-10-29 · https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2012/231/oj.

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Uses

  • Calculated removal (%): 92.1

  • Consumption (g per capita) in Switzerland (2009): 6.4

  • Consumption (g per capita; approx.) in Germany (2009): 0.031

  • Excretion rate: 0.02

  • Lactitol is used as a noncariogenic replacement for sucrose. It is also used as a diluent in solid dosage forms. A direct-compression form is available, as is a direct-compression blend of lactose and lactitol.

  • Sweetener in food

  • Use (kg) in Switzerland (2009): >50000

  • Use (kg; approx.) in Germany (2009): >2500

PubChem : NORMAN Suspect List Exchange · 2026-10-29 · DOI:10.1021/acs.est.5b03332.

Licence.

PubChem : Hazardous Substances Data Bank (HSDB) · 2026-10-29 · Rowe, R.C., Sheskey, P.J., Quinn, M.E.; (Eds.), Handbook of Pharmaceutical Excipients 6th edition Pharmaceutical Press, London, England 2009, p. 357; O'Neil, M.J. (ed.). The Merck Index - An Encyclopedia of Chemicals, Drugs, and Biologicals. Whitehouse Station, NJ: Merck and Co., Inc., 2006., p. 925.

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In plain words

À quoi il sert, selon les fabricants

Objectifs les plus souvent annoncés pour les compléments qui en contiennent (Lactitol) : transit (4 produits), digestion (2 produits).

Ce sont les objectifs déclarés par les fabricants à l'administration, pas des effets démontrés. Sur l'emballage, seules les allégations de santé autorisées par l'Union peuvent être écrites.

Compl'Alim, food supplement declarations (France), retrieved 23 October 2026.

Products