Mannitol (E421)
- Food Caution
What is Mannitol (E421)?
Mannitol (E421) is a sugar alcohol used as a low-calorie sweetener and to stop sugar-free sweets and gum from sticking. Your body absorbs it poorly, so it draws water into the gut, where bacteria ferment it. Small amounts are fine, but larger amounts can cause bloating, gas or diarrhoea, especially if you have IBS.
What is Yasno’s verdict on Mannitol?
Yasno’s verdict on Mannitol: Caution. Some evidence of a concern, it depends on the amount, or it is genuinely worth knowing. A Caution always has a specific, sourced reason.
Is Mannitol allowed in the EU?
EU status of Mannitol: Permitted as a food additive. Conditions and limits come from the regulation cited below. Yasno summarises them and does not replace the legal text.
| Where | EU | US |
|---|---|---|
| Food | Permitted as a food additive | Regulated by the US FDA as an indirect food additive (food-contact material) |
What else is it called?
- D-mannitol
- Mannite
- Osmitrol
Sources
- EU Food Additives Register — POL-FAD-IMPORT-3145, European Commission (DG SANTE), 2025
- Historical European scientific assessments, EFSA, 2019
- JECFA’s toxicological evaluation of mannitol, JECFA, 1987
Always check the physical label. Yasno describes evidence and regulatory status. It never says a product is free of an allergen or safe for you, and it is not medical advice.
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