Chemca Weeky April 3, 2007 209

4AFHJ
5FA?E=
50rbl0I n0uslry: A T0chn0-C0mm0rc0I Fr0fI0
FANkAJ IIA
paulaj@chemicalweelly.com
INI06II0N
Sorbitol, a hexavaleut sugar alcohol
is a commou coustitueut iu mauy edible
fruits. Although luowu siuce mauy de-
cades, it could uot fiud auy commercial
applicatiou, as its extractiou from fruits
was very expeusive.
Sorbitol was first isolated from the
juice of mouutaiu ash berry (S|c|as
4ce||caa, S. decc|aJ iu 1812 by the
Freuch chemist, Joseph 8ovssiugavit.
however, both the small yield aud the
high price of the fiuished product did uot
offer auy iuducemeut for the iudustry to
employ sorbitol. lts importauce was
recoguised later ouly after the large scale
ecouomical mauufacture of sorbitol from
the commercially available glucose be-
came possible by catalytic reductious
with hydrogeu. 0uriug the last few de-
cades, uumerous iudustrial uses of sor-
bitol were established iu Europe, uSA,
Japau aud elsewhere iu the world, to
male it oue of the importaut iudustrial
chemicals, with iuuumerable applica-
tious iu a large uumber of iudustrial pro-
cesses.
The versatile aud uuique properties
of sorbitol came to be luowu to the lu-
diau iudustry ouly duriug the last two to
three decades. Eveu today, the iudigeuous
iudustries are uot yet familiar with the
varied aud versatile properties of sorbi-
tol aud its applicatious iu iudustrial pro-
cesses.
Froport|os
Commercially, sorbitol is geuerally
marleted iu the form of 1O solutiou, as
a clear colorless or faiut yellow syrupy
liquid, with a sweet cooliug taste. lt is
chemically classified as a polyhydric al-
cohol.
8eiug a hexavaleut alcohol, it is
closely related chemically to the biva-
leut glycol, ethyleue glycol aud glycerol.
however, uulile glycols aud glycerol,
sorbitol occurs as a white solid sub-
stauce. lu au aqueous solutiou of 1O
w/w streugth, sorbitol has mauy com-
mou properties of glycols aud glycerol,
which male sorbitol a good substitute.
Sorbitol is chemically iuert aud there-
fore compatible with mauy chemical sub-
stauces, which males it useful iu cos-
metic aud pharmaceutical formulatious
aud miuimise the daugers of auy side
reactious.
Sorbitol liquid (1OJ hardly reacts to
fluctuatious iu euviroumeutal humidity.
This males sorbitol liquid a good humec-
taut (water stabili/erJ.
A good humectaut should stabili/e
the water couteut, i.e. uot respoud to
moisture fluctuatious of the euviroumeut
to auy cousiderable degree aud must,
therefore, uot be too hydroscopic. While
glycols aud glycerol beloug to the highly
hydroscopic group of substauces, sorbi-
tol liquid 1O is ouly moderately hygro-
scopic. Therefore, optimum softeuiug
aud flexibility effects iu a product may
be obtaiued with sorbitol liquid aloug or
iu combiuatiou with glycols, glycerol aud
other humectauts. As a humectaut plas-
tici/er sorbitol is uow iucreasiugly used
either aloue or iu combiuatiou with gly-
cerol iu the gelatiu capsule iudustry,
priutiug iul formulatious, cosmetic emul-
sious aud tobacco processiug.
Sorbitol is uou-volatile with steam,
coutrary to glycerol aud other polyalco-
hols. This males the use of sorbitol eco-
uomical. For example, duriug the roast-
iug process of tobacco, the water poly-
alcohols mixture is to be heated with
steam aud the lower polyhydric alcohols
(lile glycerolJ are lost by evaporatiou
with the cousequeut loss of active sub-
stauces. Also, at uormal temperatures,
the uouvolatile character of sorbitol has
a beueficial effect, especially iu products
with large surfaces. Such is the case
duriug the storage of cut tobacco, paper,
foils, bottle capsules aud others. The
lower alcohols iu the place of sorbitol
will gradually evaporate aud thus the
products may lose flexibility, whereas
with sorbitol liquid, this risl is elimiuated
with advautage. The uou-volatile uature
of sorbitol liquid also males it useful ei-
ther aloue or iu combiuatiou with gly-
cerol, iu textile dressiug, dyeiug aud
priutiug.
To summarise, the priucipal advau-
tages which sorbitol exhibits over other
polyols are:
M Sorbitol gives up water very slowly to
dry atmosphere
M Sorbitol tales up water very slowly
from a humid atmosphere
Sorbitol liquid does uot, lile the lower
alcohols, destroy foam. For this uuique

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Chemca Weeky April 3, 2007 210
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property, sorbitol liquid is particularly of
value for the formulatious of products,
where a high grade foamiug capacity is
the esseutial marl of quality, such as
shaviug creams, shaviug soaps aud
other cosmetic preparatious.
lu additiou, sorbitol liquid does uot
promote electrical chargiug. lt has cou-
siderable auti-static activity. This auti-
static activity provides certaiu advau-
tages iu textile fiuishiug aud paper pro-
cessiug.
The relatively uou-toxicity of sorbi-
tol, further, is a distiuctive advautage,
wheu compared to the toxicity exhibited
by ethyleue glycol iu iuterual use. This
uou-toxicity has made possible the ex-
teusive use of sorbitol iu oral pharma-
ceutical formulatious aud edible gelatiu
capsules. For the same reasou, the Food
aud 0rug Admiuistratiou permits the use
of sorbitol iu the mauufacture of wrap-
piug papers for foodstuffs. 0ermatolo-
gically, also, sorbitol is iuuocuous aud,
therefore, cau safety be iucorporated iu
cosmetic aud deutal formulatious. Sor-
bitol powder is preferred iu the prepara-
ti ou of sorbi tol based esters aud
polyethers.
App||cat|oos
lu geueral, hexitols aud their deriva-
tives particularly Sorbitol, are used iu
diverse iudustries, vi/. pharmaceuticals,
cosmeti cs, toothpastes, ci garettes,
foods, textiles, adhesives, coufectiouery,
priutiug iul, etc.
0ue of the major uses of sorbitol is
as a humectaut aud couditiouiug ageut.
Mauy products uuder day-to-day atmo-
spheric chauges require the additiou of a
humectaut to assist them to retaiu their
freshuess, softuess aud flexibility aud to
maiutaiu ideal mauufacturiug couditious.
0oafectioaet,
lu caudy mauufacture, sorbitol is used
together with sugar to iucrease shelf life.
The fuuctiou of sorbitol is to retard the
solidificatiou of sugar ofteu associated
with staleuess iu caudy. lt also helps to
improve softuess, taste aud texture. lu
butter creams additioual beuefit is eu-
hauced flavour. Sorbitol may be used iu
diabetic chocolates. Sorbitol is used as
humectaut aud softeuer iu shredded co-
couut, its decided advautage over iuvert
sugar beiug that the darleuiug of the pro-
duct does uot occur. Sorbitol 1O added
to peauut butter has beeu showu to re-
duce dryuess aud crumbliuess aud im-
prove spreadability.
Iexti/es
Sorbitol fuuctious iu textile applica-
tious basically as a dispeusiug ageut, hu-
mectaut bodyiug ageut aud sequester-
iug ageut. lu priutiug, a paste of 2 to 3
sorbitol solutiou 1O (ou the weight of
the gum iu the dye pasteJ preveuts le-
veriug of the paste, improves brightuess
aud iuteusity of colour, assists peuetra-
tiou, preveuts bleediug aud promotes
leveliug.
lu textile si/iug, sorbitol acts as a
humectaut aud especially iu wiuter it
preserves the film of adhesive from be-
comiug dry aud maiutaius its plasticity.
lu fiuishiug, it gives a soft feel, good
drape aud proveu dimeusiou stability to
the fabric.
Io6ecco
The moisture couteut of cigarettes
is very importaut, aud chauge iu mois-
ture couteut, due to chauge iu humidity,
is miuimised if sorbitol is used as coudi-
tiouer. Also sorbitol is uou-volatile aud
heuce there is uo dauger of losiug the
couditiouer duriug dryiug aud other
pressiug operatious. Sorbitol is compa-
tible with various iugredieuts used iu to-
bacco mixture. 8ecause of its sweetuess
aud cooliug taste, sorbitol coutributes to
the flavour of chewiug tobacco besides
couditiouiug the product.
T0bI0 1
Typc0I 5p0cfc0l0ns 0f s0rbl0I {70%)
Fart|cu|ars Noo-6rysta|||s|og 8orb|to|
0escriptiou A clear colourless viscous liquid.
Taste Mild sweet
Specific gravity at 25C 1.285 Miu
Refractive iudex at 2OC 1.455-1.465
Acidity 0R lMT O.2-ml of O.O1M la0h or lMT O.3-ml of O.O1M hCl
solutiou as per specified test iu l.P.
Reduciug sugar lLT 12.8-ml of O.O5 M sodium thiosulphate solutiou
should be cousumed as per specified test iu l.P.
0ptical rotatiou +1.5
.
to +3.5
.
(as per specified test iu l.P.J
Clarity 8 color Clear 8 colourless
Arseuic lMT 2-ppm
heavy metals lMT 1O-ppm
Chloride lMT 5O-ppm
Sulphate lMT 125-ppm
liclel lMT 1-ppm
Sulphated ash lMT O.1 w/w
Solid matter 68 to 12 w/w
Polyols lLT 62 w/w as 0-6lucitol
lMT: uot more thau, lLT: uot less thau
Chemca Weeky April 3, 2007 211
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4d0esices
Sorbitol is the ideal auswer siuce it
ueither loses uor absorbs auy appreciable
quautity of water, uulile couveutioual
humectauts lile glyceriue or ethyleue
glycol. Sorbitol iucreases the viscosity
of the glue compositiou so that more
water is ueeded, resultiug iu greater
ecouomy. Sorbitol fuuctious as a mois-
ture couditiouiug ageut aud its uou-vola-
tility eusures uou-cracliug labels aud
euvelops with miuimum of curliug.
P0etmeceatice/s
Sorbitol fiuds use as a bodyiug ageut
iu pharmaceutical syrups aud elixirs. The
use of sorbitol iu cough syrups reduces
the teudeucy of the bottle caps to sticl
due to the crystallisatiou of the sugar
preseut. Sorbitol is a good humectaut aud
plasticiser aud these properties male it
useful iu emulsiou oiutmeuts, uou-fat
soluble oiutmeuts aud gelatiue capsules.
0iutmeuts, creams aud pastes will show
satisfactory spreadiug capacity with sor-
bitol as adjuvaut. Aqueous sorbitol solu-
tious are uot subjected to fermeutative
decompositiou, aud that is why sorbitol
fiuds iucreasiug use iu the preparatiou of
deutal formulatious for buclle cavity.
0osmetics
Sorbitol is widely used iu cosmetics,
both as a humectaut to retard loss of
water from oil iu water (0/WJ type of
creams aud as au emollieut. Sorbitol so-
lutiou 1O has proved a useful additive
for improviug the aesthetic appeal of gly-
ceriue carbolic soap by impartiug better
trauspareucy. 6euerally spealiug, sorbi-
tol solutiou 1O cau replace other hu-
mectauts, by weight where the humec-
taut perceutage is less thau 1O.
Ioot0peste
Sorbitol effectively replaces glyce-
riue aud sugar iu toothpastes impartiug
the required degree of plasticity aud
sweetuess, humectaut aud plasticisiug
properties of sorbitol.
Skia cteem ead cteem foaadetioa
Sorbitol replaces glyceriue as humec-
taut aud couditiouiug ageut aud helps to
reduce the greasiuess as well as the
particle si/e of the dispersiou.
Fma/sioa
Sorbitol retards the loss of water by
evaporatiou from oil-iu-water emulsiou
aud is more effective thau glyceriue of
the same couceutratiou wheu this is less
thau 1O.
Foods
Sorbitol imparts to fro/eu desserts,
body aud texture, as well as some sweet-
uess. Sorbitol is used iu fro/eu desserts
for diabetics because it is slowly absorbed
from the iutestiue aud is metabolised as
fructose. lu the mauufacture of sugarless
chewiug gum, sorbitol provides water
soluble solids, further a 1O per ceut solu-
tiou of sorbitol resists fermeutatiou of ac-
ids by micro-orgauisms iu mouth aud there-
fore it is believed uot to coutribute to the
iucideuce of deutal caries. lu artificially
sweeteued cauued fruits, the uudesirable
aftertaste of sacchariue is avoided by use
of sorbitol. lu low-caloric soft driuls, sor-
bitol fiuds use as a bodyiug ageut, iu addi-
tiou to its use as a sequesteriug ageut iu
cauued soft driuls.
0ie6etic diets
Exteusive research has led to the
adoptiou of sorbitol to substitute sugar
as sweeteuiug ageut iu diabetic diets.
MaouIacturo
Sorbitol is derived by the process
of high-pressure hydrogeuatiou of glu-
cose with uiclel or copper chromium
as catalysts. lt cau also be prepared
by electrolytic reductiou of glucose aud
coru syrup. lf caue or beet sugar is used
as a source, the dissacharide is hy-
drolysed to dextrose aud fructose prior
to hydrogeuatiou.
Sorbitol is syuthesi/ed commercially
by high pressure hydrogeuatiou of glu-
cose, usually usiug a uiclel catalyst.
Catalyst promoters iuclude maguesium
salts, uiclel phosphate aud irou. 0ther
heterogeuous catalysts used for glucose
hydrogeuatiou iuclude cobalt, platiuum,
palladium aud rutheuium. Reductiou of
glucose to sorbitol also cau be effected
usiug rutheuium dichlorotripheuyl phos-
phiue as a homogeuous hydrogeuatiou
catalyst, preferably iu the preseuce of a
stroug acid such as hCl.
To form sorbitol, glucose is usually
hydrogeuated iu the ph rauge of 4-8. uu-
der allaliue couditious, glucose isome-
ri/es to fructose aud mauuose, hydroge-
uatiou of the fructose aud mauuose
yields mauuitol as well as sorbitol. lu
additiou, uuder allaliue couditious the
Cauui//aro reactiou occurs aud sorbitol
aud glucouic acid are formed. 6lucouic
acid formatiou duriug hydrogeuatiou cau
be miuimi/ed if auiou exchauge resius iu
the basic form are the source of allali-
uity. Although aqueous solutious are cus-
tomarily used, the mouomethyl ethers
of ethyleue glycol or diethyleue glycol
are satisfactory solveuts.
Coru sugar is the most importaut raw
material, but other sources of glucose,
such as hydroly/ed starch, also may be
used. 8oth supported uiclel aud Rauey
uiclel are used as catalysts. lu the cou-
tiuuous procedure, a 5O solutiou of dex-
trose iu water is prepared aud trausferred
to a mixiug taul. The catalyst, uiclel ou
diatomaceous earth, is added to the glu-
cose solutiou aud the resultiug slurry is
pumped to the reactor after beiug heated
to about 14OC. hydrogeu is iutroduced
iuto the reactor at a pressure of approxi-
mately 12.1 MPa (125-atmJ coucurreutly
with the sugar solutiou. Speut catalyst
is collected ou a filter aud is separately
regeuerated for reuse.
The sorbitol solutiou is purified iu two
steps:
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Chemca Weeky April 3, 2007 212
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M 8y passage through au iou-exchauge
resiu bed to remove glucouate as well
as other ious, aud
M 8y treatmeut with activated carbou to
remove trace orgauic impurities.
The solutiou of pure sorbitol is couceu-
trated iu a coutiuuous evaporator to a solu-
tiou coutaiuiug 1O solids. Crystalliue sor-
bitol is obtaiued by further couceutratiou
aud crystalli/atiou. lt is sold iu a variety of
particle-si/e distributious, the oue choseu
depeudiug ou the applicatiou. Wheu iuvert
sugar is used as a startiug material, sorbi-
tol aud mauuitol are produced simulta-
ueously. Mauuitol crystalli/es from solutiou
after the hydrogeuatiou step owiug to its
lower solubility iu water. lt is sold as a
white, crystalliue powder or free-flowiug
grauules (directly compressible gradesJ.
Electrolytic reductiou of glucose was used
formerly for the mauufacture of sorbitol.
8oth the g- aud d-lactoues of 0-glucouic
acid may be reduced to sorbitol by sodium
borohydride.
Iec0ao/og, dece/opmeats
A research group at the Catalysis Re-
search Ceuter of hollaido uuiversity (Ja-
pauJ has developed a catalyst that couverts
cellulose iuto sugar alcohols. They made
the catalyst by dispersiug extremely fiue
platiuum or rutheuium particles iuto alu-
miua aud /eolite.
Just mixiug the catalyst with cellulose
iu water produces sugar alcohols with sor-
bitol as the maiu compoueut. The uew
method requires uo wastewater treatmeut,
aud the catalyst cau be used repeatedly.
The iuuovative catalytic method for ef-
ficieut cellulose decompositiou offers pros-
pects for future major reclamatiou of bio-
mass. Existiug methods of cellulose de-
compositiou the eu/yme process, sulfu-
ric acid process, allali process aud
supercritical aqueous process impose
heavy burdeus ou the euviroumeut, giviug
rise to a pressiug ueed for a uew, efficieut
method to decompose cellulose.
8tatus oI |odustry |o Iod|a
lu ludia, the productiou of sorbitol com-
meuced iu 1969-1O wheu Sarabhai M
Chemicals iustalled a plaut of 2,OOO-tpa iu
8aroda. Till 1915-16, it was the ouly mauu-
facturiug uuit iu the couutry. lu 1916-11,
three more uuits (Auil Starch, Mai/e Starch
aud Jayaut VitamiusJ iustalled plauts with
capacities of 2,OOO-tpa each. 8y 1989-9O,
five more uuits came up aud the total iu-
stalled capacity iucreased from 19,5OO-tpa
iu 1986-81 to 43,1OO-tpa iu 1989-9O. how-
ever, duriug the post liberali/atiou period, a
uumber of plauts had to shut dowu due to
various reasous that iucluded high cost of
productiou, obsolete techuologies, price
coutrols aud goverumeut policies iu the pre-
liberalisatiou era. Today there are seveu
uuits iu operatiou with a total capacity that
has goue up to arouud 1O2,1OO-tpa.
8es,ep Sweetaets Ltd.
Kasyap Sweetuers Ltd. was promoted
by Mr. Chetauya Kumar Kasyap iu Juue 1986
to mauufacture sorbitol. The compauy has
a coru refiuiug plaut aud mauufactures
starch derivative products aud specialty
sugars. With arouud 5O of marlet share
iu ludia, the compauy claims clieuts such
as hiudustau Lever Ltd. Colgate Palmolive,
Mercl ludia Ltd., etc. iu ludia.
6a/s0ea Po/,o/s Ltd.
The 6roup has diversified iuterests aud
is eugaged iu mauufacture of various iu-
dustrial chemicals for multiple applicatious.
The group was iuitially eugaged iu the sugar
busiuess, aud later diversified iuto the field
of iudustrial chemicals. lt set up its first
plaut to produce precipitated aud activated
calcium carbouate iu uttar Pradesh where
high quality limestoue is available. The
group set up mauufacturiug facilities iu
1996 to produce sorbitol 1O iu 6ujarat.
The plaut, equipped with iuteruatioual
quality equipmeut aud techuology, is ca-
pable of produciug crystalliue aud uou-
crystal l i ue grades of sorbi tol . The
preseut iustalled capacity is 3O,OOO-tpa
of sorbitol. 6PL has lS0 9OO1:2OOO certi-
ficatiou.
Meite Ptodacts Ltd.
lucorporated iu Jauuary 1941 as
T0bI0 2
nsl0II00 c0p0cly f0r s0rbl0I {70%): 2005-06
6ompaoy Iosta||od 8haro |o Locat|oo
capac|ty [tpa] capac|ty [%]
Mai/e Products Ltd. 12,OOO 11.1 Ahmedabad
Auil Starch Ltd. 3,25O 3.3 Ahmedabad
Kasyap Sweetuers 36,OOO 35.O Ratlam (M.P.J
6ulshau Polyols Ltd. 3O,OOO 29.2 0elhi
6ujarat Ambuja Exports 16,5OO 16.O Ahmedabad
Sulhjit Starch 8 Chemicals Ltd. 4,95O 4.8 Puujab
Iota| 102,700 100.0
o|ts 6|osod
Jayaut Chemicals 13,5OO Ratlam (M.P.J
Sarabhai M Chemicals 2,OOO 8aroda
Amaravati Chemicals 3,3OO Poudicherry
uuicoru 0rgauics Ltd. 1,2OO Warraugal (APJ
Prestige Fibres 3,6OO Mu/afarpur (u.P.J
Tau ludia 4,5OO Kumarapalayam (TlJ
Iota| 34,100
Chemca Weeky April 3, 2007 213
4AFHJ
5FA?E=
hiudustau Color Chemicals Mauufactur-
iug Compauy aud subsequeutly rechris-
teued as Sayaji ludustries Ltd., the com-
pauy is the largest mauufacturer of
starches, liquid glucose, dextrose mouo-
hydrate, auhydrous dextrose aud sorbi-
tol iu ludia, employiug arouud 1,1OO per-
souuel wi th a di stri buti ou uetworl
throughout the couutry. The compauy's
R80 laboratory has developed the pro-
cess to mauufacture sorbitol aud auhy-
drous dextrose. For the developmeut of
auhydrous dextrose techuology, the com-
pauy was awarded the import substitu-
tiou award by the 6overumeut of ludia iu
1915. Siuce 1986, the compauy has eu-
tered iuto a techuical luow-how agree-
meut to upgrade its' mauufacturiug fa-
cilities with. Amylum lV (8elgiumJ,
which is oue of the largest coru wet mill-
iug compauies iu Europe.
4ai/ Stetc0 Ptodacts Ltd.
The Auil Starch Products Ltd. was
establ i shed i u 1939 by Chi uubhai
Mauibhai Shethaudwasthe Lalbhai
group's first foray iuto chemicals. At that
time, the textile iudustry iu ludia im-
ported a great deal of starch from Eu-
rope. The start of the Secoud World War
preveuted imports, aud preseuted au
opportuuity for the mauufacture of starch
iu ludia. uufortuuately, the shipscarryiug
themachiues fortheuew compauy were
suul iu the high seas. Auil Starch over-
came this problem by improvisiug with
machiues made locally, aud the compauy
was soou produciug starch. Thus, from its
iuceptiou, Auil Starch had to develop the
spirit of iuuovatiou to overcome impedi-
meuts placed iu its path.
Auil Starch grew, aud soou became a
pioueer iu the iutroductiou of various pro-
ducts ou the ludiau marlet. lt soou was
the iudustry leader, aud mauufactured a
rauge of products for textile, food, chemi-
cal, pharmaceutical, paper aud other iu-
dustries iu ludia. lt has a techuical col-
laboratiou with CPC, uSA.
6ajetet 4m6aje Fxpotts
6ujarat Ambuja Exports Ltd. (6AELJ
is priucipally iuvolved iu agro-process-
iug 8 tradiug aud has focused ou exports.
With a humble begiuuiug iu 1983 aud with
just a textile processiug uuit, the com-
pauy has growu with the additiou of uu-
merous state-of-the-art- plauts iu the
agro-processiug sector. After establish-
iug its first edible oil refiuery iu 1986,
the compauy set up its wheat flour mill
aud cattle feed mill iu 1981. The year
1993-1994 was a crucial period for the
compauy, with major projects beiug
taleu up lile the cottou yaru spiuuiug
project aud the mai/e-based starch
project. Simultaueously the compauy
also set up huge capacities iu the sol-
veut extractiou iudustry bacled by ver-
tically iutegrated projects of edible oil
refiuery aud |aasca||.
I0e Sak0jit Stetc0 8 00emice/s Ltd.
Sulhj i t Starch 8 Chemi cal s Ltd.
mauufactures aud distributes liquid glu-
cose, starch, sorbitol, dextrius aud re-
lated by-products. The plauts of the
group are located iu Phagwara, Puujab
aud li/amabad, Audhra Pradesh.
Froduct|oo
The productiou of sorbitol has growu
from a mere 1,31O-tous iu 1915-16 to
5O,OOO-tous iu 2OOO-O1 aud further to
arouud 1O,OOO tous-iu 2OO5-O6. The au-
uual compouuded growth rate iu produc-
tiou duriug the period 1994-95 to 2OOO-
O1 was 5.1 aud the same duriug the
period 2OOO-O1 to 2OO5-O6 has beeu 6.9.
Foro|go trado
Sorbitol is both imported as well as
exported from the couutry, however the
quautities are uot siguificaut. lmports
duriug the year 2OO5-O6 are estimated
to be iu the regiou of 95O-tous aud ex-
ports iu the regiou of 1,2OO-tous. lmports
are maiuly from Frauce, ludouesia aud
Thailaud. Exports have growu from 111-
tous iu 2OO2-O3 to 1,5OO-tous iu 2OO4-O5
aud have falleu iu 2OO5-O6 to arouud
1,2OO-tous. Exports are uot growiug sig-
uificautly due to stiff competitiou faced
from cheaper Chiuese exports iu the iu-
teruatioual marlet. Major destiuatious
of exports have beeu lepal, Turley, uAE,
Yemeu aud Tau/auia.
Fr|cos
The curreut price of Sorbitol (1OJ iu
the marlet is Rs. 25 (basicJ for the bull aud
Rs. 28 per lg (basicJ for the material iu
barrel pacliug. 6lyceriue aud peuta-
erythritol are the two competiug products
used for similar applicatious as sorbitol.
The curreut price of glyceriue is iu the re-
giou of Rs. 36/31 per lg. (basicJ aud that of
peutaerythritol is iu the regiou of Rs. 8O
(basicJ. luteruatioually, sorbitol prices,
amoug other factors, are affected by the
price of coru syrup, the raw material for
sorbitol.
8ubst|tut|oo
Peutaerythritol is au importaut raw
materials used iu the mauufacture of syu-
thetic resius, mostly allyds. At preseut
over 8O of peutaerythritol is beiug used iu
T0bI0 3
Tr0n0s n pr00ucl0n 0f
s0rbl0I {70% b0ss)
[Ioos]
oar Froduct|oo
1915-16 1,31O
198O-81 2,132
1981-82 3,481
1982-83 4,149
1983-84 6,1OO
1984-85 9,4OO
1985-86 14,16O
1986-81 13,OOO
1981-88 16,5OO
1988-89 22,OOO
1989-9O 3O,OOO
1994-95 38,OOO
2OOO-O1 5O,OOO
2OO4-O5 65,5OO
2OO5-O6 1O,OOO
4AFHJ
Chemca Weeky April 3, 2007 214
5FA?E=
the mauufacture of paiuts. however, due to
risiug cost of peutaerythritol, it is beiug
partially replaced by either glyceriue or
sorbitol. While the price of glyceriue is 3O
higher thau sorbitol, peutaerythritol is cost-
lier by almost 2.8 times as compared to
sorbitol. lu the toothpaste iudustry, although
sorbitol is maiuly used, some quautities of
glyceriue is also used for techuical reasous.
6oosumpt|oo pattoro
As meutioued earlier, sorbitol fiuds its
bull requiremeuts iu the pharmaceuticals
iudustry, particularly iu the mauufacture of
Vitamiu C. 8esides, it is also used as a
bodyiug ageut, as humectaut, as adjuvaut
aud as plastici/er iu pharmaceutical formu-
latious. The other major uses iuclude tooth
pastes, paiuts, cosmetics, tobacco, paper
etc. As cau be seeu, out of the total cou-
sumptiou, pharmaceuticals aud deutifrices,
together, cousume arouud 1O of sorbitol,
followed by paiuts (12J. Cosmetics aud
other miscellaueous uses accouut for the
balauce 18. The share of the pharma sec-
tor has goue dowu due to decliue iu the
domestic productiou of Vitamiu C, which
cousumed good quautities of sorbitol iu its
mauufacture.
Futuro out|ook
The demaud for sorbitol would depeud
upou the developmeut of its eud-uses aud
the shape these eud-uses iudustries are
lilely to tale iu the future.
The average auuual growth rate duriug
last teu years has beeu arouud 6. Accord-
iug to the iudustry experts, future demaud
is also expected to move ahead iu the re-
giou of 6 per auuum. Pharma aud the
deutrifice sector are expected to coutiuue
domiuatiug the marlet for sorbitol.
Sorbitol's largest siugle applicatiou,
toothpaste formulatiou, is mature aud ex-
pected to grow ouly with populatiou. Miui-
mal growth is predicted for sorbitol iu the
productiou of pharmaceuticals. Sorbitol's
applicatiou iu the domestic productiou of
T0bI0 4
mp0rls 0f 50rbl0I
[uaot|ty |o Ioos, va|uo |o s. M||||oo]
02-03 03-04 04-05
6ouotry ty va|uo ty va|uo ty va|uo
Chiua O O O O 1.OO O.11
Frauce 22O.91 13.4O 415.15 23.38 418.35 23.91
6ermauy 11.45 5.26 65.21 1.46 21.25 3.61
ludouesia O O 141.84 11.35 1O9.92 2.62
Thailaud 98.52 2.29 O O O O
uK 1.5O O.42 O O O.O5 O.O1
uSA 55.82 3.48 98.36 3.53 5.55 O.33
lepal O O O O 1.OO O.35
Japau 2.6O O.59 O.19 O.18 O.19 O.11
Polaud O O O.13 O.O1 O.11 O.O4
6reece 125 O.O3 O O O O
Iota| 450.98 25.31 728.06 51.92 564.02 31.27
T0bI0 5
Exp0rls 0f 50rbl0I
[uaot|ty |o Ioos, va|uo |o s. M||||oo]
02-03 03-04 04-05
6ouotry ty va|uo ty va|uo ty va|uo
8ra/il O O O O 68.OO 1.32
Jordau O O O O 5O.O3 O.9O
Kuwait 23.1O O.11 O O O O
lepal 38O.6O 1.53 151.O6 13.93 1,O26.O6 18.39
0mau 24.O5 O.33 O O 2.OOO O.O3
Saudi Arabia O O 24.OO O.39 1O.OO O.39
South Africa O O O O 5.1O O.1O
Sri Laula O O O O 3.OO O.O5
Turley 5.6O O.92 O O 193.2O 3.16
uAE 4.2O O.38 24.6O O.49 36.OO O.19
Yemeu 24.OO O.49 O O 48.OO O.91
Australia 11O.OO 2.32 5O.OO 1.O5 O O
Tau/auia 5.OO O.51 2O.OO O.34 48.OO O.83
ugauda 1.O8 O.O2 2.4O O.O4 O O
Cougo O O O O 8.1O O.19
Keuya 4.5O O.12 O O 24.OO O.31
ligeria 2O.15 O.34 54.6O 1.12 O O
uuspecified 1.5O O.O5 3.OO O.O1 O O
lew Zealaud 144.5O 2.85 O O O O
Algeria O O 8.OO O.33 O O
Cambodia O O 1.OO O.O2 O O
8uruudi 1.O8 O.O2 O O O O
Costa Rica 21.93 O.11 O O O O
Rwauda O O 2.2O O.O6 O O
Iota| 771.29 17.43 946.86 17.85 1,521.48 27.45
Chemca Weeky April 3, 2007 215
4AFHJ
5FA?E=
vitamiu C has beeu hurt by imports of the
vitamiu, primarily from Chiua.
Assumiug 6 growth, demaud of the
order of 88,OOO-tous is expected by 2OO9-
1O.
The preseut level of capacity utili/atiou
is ouly arouud 1O. Further capacity of the
order of 1O,4OO-tpa are lilely to be added
by way of expausious by existiug uuits, tal-
iug total capacity to 113,1OO-tpa.
Assumiug the eutire domestic require-
meut of 88,OOO-tous is met iudigeuously,
capacity utili/atiou is expected to be arouud
18. These utili/atiou levels could further
go dowu if demaud is met through imports.
heuce, it will be importaut to develop uewer
aveuues of growth by iucreasiug awareuess
iu the textile, food aud coufectiouery seg-
meuts.
A uewly developiug outlet for sorbitol
is its use iu produciug clarifyiug ageuts for
polypropyleue. Clarifyiug ageuts euable
polypropyleue to substitute for higher cost
polymers iu food paclagiug, driuliug cups
aud housewares.
0emaud for trauspareut paclages aud
resiu moldiugs is iucreasiug worldwide.
however, clarifyiug ageuts iu the past had
problems such as trausfer of odors to mold-
iugs, which restricted their applicatious.
Sorbitol-based clarifyiug ageuts do uot suf-
fer from this limitatiou aud a few compa-
uies iu the uS, Europe aud Japau offer such
products.
T0bI0 7
N0w c0p0cly 000l0ns
0nlcp0l00
[tpa]
6ompaoy Add|t|ooa| capac|ty
Auil Starch 4,OOO
6ujarat Ambuja 1,5OO
Sulhjit Starch 4,9OO
Iota| 10,400
|oba| 8cooar|o
The global polyols (sugar alcoholsJ
marlet is estimated to be iu the regiou
of 1.65-mt, out of which the marlet for
sorbitol is over 1-mt, with the rest
shared by other polyols such as peuta,
mauuitol, xylitol etc.
Leadiug players iu global sorbitol
supplies iuclude uS giaut Archer 0auiels
Midlaud, Swiss firm Lou/a, Roquette
America aud SPl Polyols. lu Chiua, 6lo-
bal 8iochem with its 6O,OOO-tpa plaut at
Chaugchuu, Jiliu, is a major supplier.
The global sorbitol iudustry couti-
uues to suffer from excess capacity aud
competitiou from other polyols, which
could lead to further cousolidatiou iu the
marlet. Liquid sorbitol has become the
most commoditi/ed polyol. lu additiou to
overcapacity, priciug issues aud height-
eued competi ti ou have pushed
thesorbitol iudustry to cousolidate.
Cousumptiou of sorbitol iu the uuited
States, Westeru Europe aud Japau was
estimated to be about 69O,OOO-tous iu
2OO4, with a value of uS$42O-52O mu.
The marlet has growu at au average
auuual rate of 1-2 siuce 1991. Cousump-
tiou iu the uuited States, Westeru Eu-
rope aud Japau is expected to grow at
slightly less thau 1.O per year duriug
2OO4-2OO9.
The food sector remaius the most
importaut marlet, coutributiug 39 of the
total marlet volume, followed by tooth-
paste aud cosmetics (21J, aud the vi-
tamiu C marlet (13J. Vitamiu C is the
ouly sorbitol marlet that is expected to
lose marlet share iu these regious.
lu the uuited States aud Westeru Eu-
rope, cousumptiou of sorbitol is almost
equal betweeu persoual care products
aud foods aud coufectious. lu Japau, the
use of sorbitol for food aud coufectious
is much higher thau use for persoual
care.
Sorbitol cau be substituted for gly-
ceriue iu toothpaste aud liquid pharma-
ceutical applicatious. Sorbitol is also the
most ecouomical sweeteuiug iugredieut
iu the 'sugarless' coufectiouery product
category, where it is sometimes com-
biued with auother higher-value-added
sweeteuer, xylitol.
A uew aud competitive polyol with
poteutial for use as a reduced-calorie
sweeteuer is erythritol, which was cer-
tified for food use iu the uuited States
aud Europe iu 2OO1. Erythritol is a fer-
meutatiou-based polyol sweeteuer with
5 of the calorific value of sucrose, with
comparable sweetuess but with a much
higher price.
T0bI0 6
C0nsumpl0n p0ll0rn 0f s0rbl0I
1989 - 90 2005-06
6oosumpt|oo 8haro [%] 6oosumpt|oo 8haro [%]
[Ioos] [Ioos]
Pharmaceuticals 15,OOO 5O.O 28,OOO 4O.O
0eutriflices 9OOO 3O.O 21,OOO 3O.O
Paiuts 3OOO 1O.O 8,4OO 12.O
Cosmetics 1OOO 3.3 2,1OO 3.O
Miscellaueous 2OOO 6.6 1O,5OO 15.O
Iota| 30,000 100.0 70,000 100.0