Polyol Sweeteners Market Size, Share & Trends Analysis Report By Form (Powder, Liquid), By Application (Pharmaceuticals, F&B), By Type (Sorbitol, Mannitol), By Function, By Region, And Segment Forecasts, 2020 - 2027

Report Overview

The global polyol sweeteners market size was estimated at USD 5.6 billion in 2019 and is expected to advance at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.4% from 2020 to 2027. Increasing demand for sugar substitutes in the food & beverage industry coupled with growing consumer awareness regarding overall health & wellness is expected to drive the market. Polyol sweeteners are saccharide derivatives that are obtained from fermentation or hydro-generation of carbohydrates from bio-wastes, such as birch bark, corn cob, and pulp & paper waste.

Also termed sugar alcohol, the product is being utilized as one of the favorable “natural” ingredients in several applications, such as food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and other technical & chemical industries. The polyol sweeteners market in the U.S. is projected to exhibit high growth on account of growing consumer demand for healthier and low-calorie food products. In addition, the product is used as a bulking agent, binder, humectant, and chemical reactant in the tobacco, textile, and paper industries.

Sorbitol is obtained via catalytic hydrogenation of d-glucose to form glucitol (d-sorbitol) and is used as a bulking agent, sequestrates, thickener, sweetener, and humectant in distinguished applications. The demand for sorbitol in the pharmaceutical industry is likely to witness a high growth on account of the growing utilization of the product as a stabilizer and an excipient in drug formulation as well as in the preparation of synthetic vitamin C.

Polyol sweeteners are used as a bodying agent in manufacturing syrups, elixirs, tonics, and pills. The product is also used in producing ointments, gelatin capsules, and emulsion ointments owing to their good plasticizing and humectant properties. In oral care products, such as toothpaste and mouthwash, sugar alcohols not only offer resistance to fermentation but also give a refreshing sweetness to the final product.

However, excessive consumption of sugar alcohol causes gastrointestinal symptoms, such as gas and/or laxative effects. Herein, the unabsorbed amount of polyol sweeteners enters the large intestine in the human body and binds with water, which subjects it to fermentation and results in diarrhea and flatulence. The United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) mandates the laxative warning on products containing more than 10% of sugar alcohol.

Product Insights

The sorbitol-based sweeteners market accounted for more than 41% share of the global revenue in 2019. The demand for sorbitol in bakery & confectionery applications is projected to witness steady growth on account of its ability to preserve freshness, prevent deterioration, and keep the water content at a fixed level in products, such as cakes, bread, creams, and jellies.

Sorbitol is utilized as a cryoprotectant additive to produce surimi, an uncooked and highly refined fish paste. The product is also used to harmonize the flavors in beverages, such as fruit juices and carbonated drinks. Rising consumption of sorbitol-based sweeteners in manufacturing distinguished food & beverage and dietary supplement products is projected to drive the product demand.

Sorbitol is widely used as a thickener and humectant in formulating face masks, milky lotions, and skin creams. In addition, the growing application scope in the paints & coatings, textile, surfactant, and tobacco industries is likely to open new avenues for segment growth.

The demand for mannitol-based sweeteners in the pharmaceutical applications is projected to witness steady growth on account of its ability to lessen the intracranial pressure in the cranium and to treat patients suffering from oliguric renal failure. In the latter situation, the product is administered intravenously, which is then filtered in the kidney.

Form Insights

Powder-based polyol sweeteners led the market and accounted for more than 75.0% share of the global revenue in 2019. Polyol sweeteners in the form of icing powder are used in manufacturing various food products, such as candies, chewing gums, and bakery goods. In the form of solid crystals, the product is widely used as a drug component in the pharmaceutical industry.

Powdered or crystallized sugar alcohols are likely to witness steady growth over the forecast period on account of their easier handling, transportation & storage, and longer shelf-life, thereby exhibiting decreased chances of spoilage. Most functions of powdered polyol sweeteners are similar to that of their liquid counterparts and are widely used as a bulking and coating agent in the manufacturing of nutraceutical and functional foods.

Crystal & powdered sorbitol, xylitol, and maltitol are utilized as food additives in polydextrose, mint tablets, and other sugar-free foods, such as shrimp balls, roasted fish fillet, frozen raw fish, and dried squid thread, among other frozen aquatic products. Growing demand for the aforementioned products along with the rising consumption of frozen foods in China and South Korea is likely to spur the segment growth over the upcoming years.

Liquid or syrup-based polyol sweeteners have high-water solubility, which is excellent for manufacturing pharmaceutical and nutraceutical formulations. The growing demand for naturally-derived sugar substitutes as a result of rising consumer awareness regarding low-calorie intake is anticipated to propel the demand for liquid sugar alcohols.

Function Insights

The flavoring & sweetening agents segment led the market and accounted for more than 53% of the global revenue share in 2019. The sweetness of distinguished polyols differs from each other and is often influenced by other ingredients in the products in which they are used. Moreover, mouthfeel and flavor underpinning attributes are also important factors for polyol sweeteners.

They are frequently combined with low-calorie or intense sweeteners, such as aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame potassium, neotame, sucralose, and stevia sweeteners, to produce sugar-free confectionery products. The ability of polyols to contribute mild sweetness as well as bulk and texture of conventional sugar is likely to spur the product demand in the food & beverage industry over the next few years.

Some crystalline polyols, such as erythritol, xylitol, and isomalt, have a high heat of solution, which offers a cooling effect in the mouth. The demand for these polyols is anticipated to exhibit high growth on account of the rising use of these products in manufacturing peppermint and menthol-based oral care products.

The product is also used as a bulking agent to replace the sugar in food & beverage products. Polyols such as sorbitol, xylitol, maltitol, mannitol, isomalt, and erythritol are used to provide sweetness and add texture in bakery and confectionery goods. The growing consumption of polyols as humectants in the cosmetic industry is likely to further augment the market growth.

Application Insights

The food & beverage application segment led the market and accounted for more than 41.0% of the global revenue share in 2019. Rising demand for mannitol, isomalt, and sorbitol as bulk sweeteners to produce frozen desserts, dairy products, fruit spreads, and baked goods is likely to fuel the segment growth over the next few years.

Polyol sweeteners are approved by the United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) for use in food products as either food additives or as Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) chemicals or substances. Products, such as erythritol, isomalt, sorbitol, lactitol, polyglycitols, and maltitol, are considered GRAS, while mannitol holds interim food additive status and xylitol is acceptable for use in special dietary foods.

Sugar alcohols are widely utilized to coat confectionery products, such as chewing gums and candies, on account of their distinctive non-hygroscopic properties. Polyols, such as mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol, contain fewer calories and exhibit identical sweetening properties as sucrose. Rising consumption of sugar-free chewing gums owing to the changing food consumption trends and dietary patterns is likely to spur the segment growth.

The personal care & cosmetics application segment is anticipated to exhibit a steady growth rate over the upcoming years. Growing consumer inclination towards oral hygiene and dental health is projected to drive the demand for polyol sweeteners-based oral care products, such as mouthwash and toothpaste, thereby supporting the segment growth.

Regional Insights

Europe led the market and accounted for over 42.0% of the global revenue share in 2019. The demand for polyol sweeteners in the region is projected to exhibit promising growth over the upcoming years, owing to the demand for natural ingredients and rapidly expanding the personal care industry in countries, such as Italy, France, and Germany.

In addition, in April 2019, The European Parliament endorsed the Horizon 2020 Strategy, a provisional agreement intended to encourage the development of naturally-derived products. This, in turn, is estimated to spur the market demand for polyol sweeteners in the European food processing industry over the forecast period.

Polyol sweeteners are also used as emulsifiers, foaming and wetting agent, detergent, and dispersant. Growing consumption of bio-based products in Europe is projected to spur the application of bio-based surfactants, such as sorbitol and rhamnolipids. Stringent regulations to curb the Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions are likely to propel the demand for bio-based surfactants, thereby promoting market growth in Europe.

The market in the Asia Pacific is estimated to register the fastest CAGR from 2020 to 2027 due to increased purchasing power parity and the growing consumption of sugar-free and sugar-reduced pharmaceutical products and nutritional supplements.

Key Companies & Market Share Insights

Key market participants are largely investing in research and innovation practices to develop sustainable and advanced processes to manufacture sugar alcohols using industrial waste. For instance, Manufacturers, such as zuChem and Tang Chuan Biotechnology (Xiamen) Co., Ltd., is focusing on implementing microbial fermentation, a biotechnological process to obtain polyols. In May 2020, Ingredion Inc. launched ERYSTA Erythritol for the food & beverage processing sector in the Europe-Middle East-Africa (EMEA) region. This strategic initiative was aimed at enabling manufacturers to replace or reduce sugar to attain nutrition-related claims, such as ‘calorie-reduced’ or ‘no added sugar’ in distinguished applications. Some prominent players in the polyol sweeteners market include:

• Cargill, Inc.

• Sweeteners Plus, LLC

• B Food Science Co., Ltd.

• Gulshan Polyols Ltd.

• Ingredion Inc.

• Roquette Frères

• PT. Ecogreen Oleochemicals

• Mitsubishi Corporation Life Sciences Ltd.

• Tereos

• SPI Pharma

• HYET Sweet

• Jungbunzlauer Suisse AG

• DFI Corp.

• Sukhjit Starch & Chemicals Ltd.

• Zhejiang Huakang Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

• Shandong Futaste Co.

• Dancheng Caixin Sugar Industry Co. Ltd.

• Shijiazhuang Huaxu Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

• DuPont

• zuChem

• Zibo Shunda Biotech Co., Ltd.

• Hylen Co., Ltd.

• Beneo

• Foodchem International Corp.

Polyol Sweeteners Market Report Scope

Segments Covered in the Report

This report forecasts revenue growth at global, regional, and country levels and provides an analysis of the latest industry trends in each of the sub-segments from 2016 to 2027. For the purpose of this study, Grand View Research has segmented the global polyol sweeteners market report on the basis of product, form, function, application, and region:

• Product Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Sorbitol

  • Xylitol

  • Mannitol

  • Maltitol

  • Isomalt

  • Others

• Form Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Powder

  • Liquid

• Function Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Flavoring & Sweetening Agents

  • Bulking Agents

  • Excipients

  • Humectants

  • Others

• Application Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • Food & Beverages

  • Personal Care & Cosmetics

  • Pharmaceuticals

  • Others

• Regional Outlook (Volume, Kilotons; Revenue, USD Million, 2016 - 2027)

  • North America

    • The U.S.

    • Canada

    • Mexico

  • Europe

    • Germany

    • The U.K.

    • France

    • Spain

    • Italy

  • Asia Pacific

    • China

    • Japan

    • India

    • Australia & New Zealand

  • Central & South America

    • Brazil

    • Argentina

  • Middle East & Africa

    • UAE