E420SweetenerHumectant
What Is E420? Sorbitol and Where It Is Used
Also known as: Sorbitol syrup, Sugar alcohol
E420 is the additive number of sorbitol, a sugar alcohol about half as sweet as sugar. It is used as a sweetener in sugar-free gum and sweets and as a humectant in cakes.
- In the Besin database
- 368 products
- About 3.2 in every 100 products
- Source
- Plant-based
- Acceptable daily intake (ADI)
- No numerical value set
What does E420 do?
It gives sweetness instead of sugar in sugar-free gum, sweets and diet products, and keeps cakes and bars soft by holding moisture.
How is it made?
Made by hydrogenating glucose obtained from corn or wheat starch. It also occurs naturally in fruits such as apples, pears and plums.
Vegan and halal: Made from starch; no animal raw material is used and it suits vegan diets.
On the label: In Türkiye and the EU, products with more than 10% added polyols must carry the warning "excessive consumption may produce laxative effects".
Which products contain E420?
368 of the 11,663 packaged products in the Besin database list E420 (Sorbitol) in their ingredients. The categories where it appears most often:
- Mini Cakes60 products
- Chocolate Bars29 products
- Jelly Candies25 products
- Coated and Stick Biscuits25 products
- Hard and Boiled Candies23 products
- Fruit-Flavoured Gums19 products
Numbers as of the database snapshot of October 18, 2026.
Official evaluation
The international JECFA committee saw no need for a numerical ADI for sorbitol. EFSA's re-evaluation is ongoing; EFSA called for genotoxicity data on sorbitol in 2023, and when this page was written we found no finished opinion.
Food additives are regulated by the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693). The ADI is the amount estimated to be safe to take every day over a lifetime, given per kilogram of body weight.
Frequently asked questions
Is sorbitol sugar?
No. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol (polyol). It is sweet, but less sweet than table sugar, and the body handles it differently from sugar.
Why does the label say "laxative effects"?
Eating large amounts of polyols can cause diarrhoea in some people, so products with more than 10% added polyols must carry this warning.
Which products contain E420 most often?
In the Besin database it appears most often in mini cakes, chocolate bars, jelly candies, hard candies and chewing gums.
Related additives
Sources
- EFSA: Food additives
- EFSA: Call for genotoxicity data on sorbitol (E420 i)
- the EU food additives regulation (Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008) and, in Türkiye, the Turkish Food Codex Regulation on Food Additives (Official Gazette, 30.06.2013, No. 28693)
Last reviewed: . This page is for information only and is not medical advice. To report a mistake, write to iletisim@besin.app.