Xylitol
Xylitol is a sugar alcohol used as a sweetener.
Contents
Properties
Chemical
Xylitol will react with nitric acid to yield xylitol nitrates.
Physical
Xylitol is a white crystalline solid, with a sweet taste similar to that of sugar, though it has a slight fruity flavor. It is slightly soluble in water (50 mg/ml), methanol (6 g/100ml), ethanol (1.2 g/100ml) and pyridene. It is insoluble in ether.[1] Its melting point is between 92 to 96 °C, and the boiling point has been determined to be 345.39 °C. Xylitol has a density of 1.52 g/cm3
Availability
Xylitol is available in most hypermarkets and health food stores, usually as 99-99.9% pure. The price depends on the brand.
Preparation
Xylitol can be extracted from various fruits, though this process is intensive and is much cheaper to just buy it from stores.
Projects
- Sugar substitute
- Make xylitol pentanitrate
Handling
Safety
Xylitol has no known toxicity or carcinogenicity, and is considered safe by the FDA. It has an extremely low glycemic index of 7 (glucose GI is 100) and has been shown to be useful in reducing tooth cavities. Xylitol does however have laxative effects, though it's possible to build up resistance after several weeks of consuming it.
Storage
In closed containers.
