Xylitol: production, metabolism and safety of use (literature review)

Abstract

The review article provides information on a common sweetener - xylitol, ranging from methods of production and purification, to metabolism in the body and practical applications in medicine and other industries. Considering some prejudice with which xylitol is treated in the Russian Federation, safety of use and low prevalence, it was decided to consider the relevance of use in medicine and related industries, affecting the effectiveness of use as one of the preventive measures in diseases of dental caries. Literature search: according to the Scopus, CyberLeninka, PubMed databases, selective, analytical-synthetic, typological. Xylitol is a polyhydric sugar alcohol; it is found in small amounts in fruits and vegetables. For industrial production, xylitol can be obtained by chemical and biotechnological methods. Chemical production is financially costly mainly due to the complex product purification process. In biotechnological production, agricultural and vegetable raw materials are used as raw materials, which makes it possible to reduce the cost of production and its energy intensity. The safety of xylitol has been well studied by the international community since the late 70s and it is included in various WHO recommendations, numerous studies confirm the safety of use during the metabolic processes of the body. Conclusion. Xylitol is used in at least three industries, namely in food (dietary, confectionery, chewing gum), pharmaceutical (xylitol properties are relevant in the production of nasal sprays, syrups, in combination with other medicines) and in dentistry due to its anti-caries effect, suppression growth of pathogenic microflora of the oral cavity and participation in the remineralization of hard tissues of the tooth. In addition, it is actively used among diabetics.