Polyglycitol syrup as a food additive and gastric effects
What it found
In people, the main unwanted effect linked to polyglycitol syrup was stomach upset.
Estimates of how much people would take in came close to, and for children went above, the doses that caused stomach upset in human trials.
What they found
Studies in people
Stomach upset in people
In humans, the main reported unwanted effect specifically linked to polyglycitol syrup was gastric disturbance.
Exposure estimates
Conservative estimates of how much polyglycitol syrup people would take in from the proposed uses and use levels are close to the doses linked to gastric disturbances in human trials. For children, the estimates are even higher than those doses.
Other findings
What it is made of
Polyglycitol syrup is a hydrogenated starch hydrolysate syrup made up of maltitol, sorbitol and higher molecular weight polyols.
How it differs from maltitol syrup
Unlike maltitol syrup, polyglycitol syrup has a set amount of sorbitol, less maltitol and a set amount of higher molecular weight polyols. So it is not covered by the specifications for maltitol syrup.
What the authors conclude
“In humans, the main reported adverse effect specifically associated with polyglycitol syrup exposure was gastric disturbance.”
Also in their conclusions
- They consider that conservative estimates of exposure to polyglycitol syrup, for consumer-only and the general population, arising from the proposed uses and use-levels, are close to, and for children even higher than, doses associated with gastric disturbances when administered as bolus doses in human trials and as reported in recent case reports.
How it was done
The European Commission asked the ANS Panel to give a scientific opinion on the safety of polyglycitol syrup when used as a food additive.
What it can’t tell you
- We summarised it from the abstract only.
- The opinion is based on reported effects and exposure estimates, so it cannot show what would happen in everyday use over time.
- It cannot say whether the stomach upset seen in trials would be the same for all people or all amounts eaten.
The paper
- Title
- Scientific Opinion on the use of Polyglycitol Syrup as a food additive
- Type
- Scientific opinion of the European Food Safety Authority
- Evidence
- Studies in people
- Summarised from
- Abstract only
- Cite
- EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) (2009). Scientific Opinion on the use of Polyglycitol Syrup as a food additive. EFSA journal. European Food Safety Authority. doi:10.2903/j.efsa.2009.1413Free full textPubMed 40123699DOI
Summary written 26 Sep 2026. Check it against the paper before it changes what you eat. How we summarise papers · Report an error