E421Humectant · Stabiliser · Sweetener · Thickener
Mannitol
What the research shows
Concerning
in studies of people
A sweetener that is a type of sugar alcohol.
It sweetens food while adding few calories because the body absorbs it poorly.1
- Vegan
- Vegetarian
- EU permitted
What research says
Studies in people
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Concern
Gut symptoms in IBS2
In people with IBS, mannitol caused gut symptoms, but these were not linked to how much was absorbed.
Animal and lab studies only
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Open question
Cell division slowdown4
In lab studies, mannitol did not damage DNA in human cells, though it slowed how often those cells divided.
How it’s made and used
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Blood sugar levels3
Mannitol is a natural sweetener that has no glycemic index.
The signal at the top counts the findings in people and in animal and lab studies. A concern in studies of people outranks animal and lab studies, and “No concerns” needs at least one finding in people. When most findings in people point one way, the page leans that way (“Mostly”), and every finding is still shown. Findings whose study type is not stated are shown but not counted. This page is a reference, not medical advice. It describes what regulators and published research say. Talk to a doctor or dietitian about your own diet.
What expert reviews concluded
Expert panels that weigh all the research. Shown for context: the signal at the top does not count them.
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UN and WHO food additive experts (JECFA), 1986
No daily limit needed (“ADI not specified”, JECFA’s term for very low toxicity).
Regulatory status
Checked Sep 2026-
European Union Permitted EUR-Lex Reg. (EC) 1333/2008
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United Kingdom Permitted FSA retained EU law
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Canada Permitted Health Canada · Sweeteners
Status reflects the named register on the date checked. It is not a safety rating. A country appears here once we've found this ingredient on its official list.
How we checkProducts
The 6 most-scanned of 698 products on Open Food Facts that list mannitol.
- Extra Peppermint Wrigley's · 64 g 10 additives
- Spearmint Sugarfree Gum Extra · 2.7 g 7 additives
- Original Beef Stick CHOMPS · 15 sticks 8 additives
- Extra White Wrigley's · 64 g 11 additives
- Extra Spearmint (46 Pieces) Wrigley's 10 additives
- White Bubblemint Chewing Gum Sugar Free Bottle Pieces Mars · 64 g 14 additives
References
- 1Mannitol. Wikipedia. Accessed September 26, 2026. CC BY-SA 4.0.
- 2Yao CK, Tan HL, van Langenberg DR, et al. Dietary sorbitol and mannitol: food content and distinct absorption patterns between healthy individuals and patients with irritable bowel syndrome. J Hum Nutr Diet. 2014;27 Suppl 2:263-75. doi:10.1111/jhn.12144
- 3Chen M, Zhang W, Wu H, Guang C, Mu W. Mannitol: physiological functionalities, determination methods, biotechnological production, and applications. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol. 2020;104(16):6941-6951. doi:10.1007/s00253-020-10757-y
- 4Eker-Kartal E, Avuloglu-Yilmaz E. Determination of the genotoxic effects of sweeteners, mannitol and lactitol. J Environ Sci Health C Toxicol Carcinog. 2023;41(3-4):135-149. doi:10.1080/26896583.2023.2275984