a white water-soluble crystalline alcohol with a sweet taste, found in certain fruits and berries and manufactured by the catalytic hydrogenation of sucrose: used as a sweetener (E420) and in the manufacture of ascorbic acid and synthetic resins. Formula: C6H8(OH)6
Word origin
C19: from sorb + -itol
sorbitol in American English
(ˈsɔrbɪˌtɔl; ˈsɔrbɪˌtoʊl)
noun
a sweet, white, odorless, crystalline alcohol, C6H8(OH)6, found in certain berries and fruits, used as a moistening agent in lotions or creams, as a sugar substitute, etc.
Word origin
sorb + -ite1 + -ol1
sorbitol in the Pharmaceutical Industry
(sɔrbɪtɔl)
noun
(Pharmaceutical: Excipients)
Sorbitol is an alcohol used in pharmaceutical preparations as a sweetener, and in tablets as an excipient, humectant (= a substance added to another substance to keep it moist), and stabilizer.
The availability of sorbitol, an alcohol, has led to its wide use as a sweetener.
Alcohols such as sorbitol and xylitol are often used as excipients in tablets because they are inert and havea sweet taste.
Sorbitol is an alcohol used in pharmaceutical preparations as a sweetener, and in tabletsas an excipient, humectant, and stabilizer.