Additives
Sorbitol (E420): What It Is and Is It Safe?
Limited risk
Sweetener / Humectant
Sugar alcohol. Can cause bloating, gas, and diarrhoea if consumed in excess. Products with more than 10% sorbitol must warn "excessive consumption may have a laxative effect."
- Category
- Sweetener / Humectant
- Typically used in
- Sugar-free sweets, chewing gum, diabetic products, dried fruit
- Regulatory status
- Approved EU/USA/UK. Laxative effect warning required above 10%.
- Concerns flagged
-
Digestive upset
Scrannr flags Sorbitol automatically when you scan a barcode.
Sources
Where this comes from
- EU (2008) — Regulation EC 1333/2008 on food additives - Annex II (laxative effect warning for polyols) https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32008R1333
Products
Products containing Sorbitol
We're building product pages that show real UK products containing Sorbitol, using Open Food Facts data. They'll appear here soon — in the meantime, scan any barcode with the Scrannr app to check for it instantly.
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