Sorbitol, also known as
glucitol, is a
sugar alcohol with a
sweet taste which the human body metabolizes slowly. It can be obtained by
reduction of
glucose, changing the
aldehyde group to a
hydroxyl group. Most sorbitol is made from
corn syrup, but it is also found in apples, pears, peaches, and prunes. It is converted to fructose by
sorbitol-6-phosphate 2-dehydrogenase. Sorbitol is an
isomer of
mannitol, another sugar alcohol; the two differ only in the orientation of the
hydroxyl group on carbon 2. While similar, the two sugar alcohols have very different sources in nature, melting points, and uses.