Crystalline anhydrous lactitol and a process for the preparation thereof as well as use thereof
AssigneeXyrofin Oy
InventorsHeikki O. Heikkila, Juha V. Nurmi, Tammy Pepper
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Abstract
The invention relates to a novel crystalline anhydrous lactitol, a process for the preparation thereof, and the use thereof. The novel crystalline anhydrous lactitol belongs to the monoclinic crystal system and has the unit cell constants: (a)=7.614 A; (b)=10.757 A; (c)=9.370 A and .beta.=108.2.degree.. Its melting point is between 149.degree. C. and 152.degree. C., water content below 0.5% and lactitol content more than 99%; it has a low hygroscopicity.
Claims7
A process for preparing crystalline anhydrous lactitol having unit cell constants a=7.614 .ANG., b=10.757 .ANG., c=9.370 .ANG. and .beta.=108.2.degree., a melting point of 149.degree. C. to 152.degree. C., a water content below 0.5% and a lactitol content of more than 99%,
- by crystallizing from an aqueous solution which contains not less than 70% of lactitol on dry matter, characterized by bringing the aqueous lactitol solution to supersaturation in regard to lactitol, and subjecting the solution to crystallization conditions at a temperature range of 70.degree. C. to 100.degree. C., by evaporating the solution and/or lowering the temperature under simultaneous stirring, whereupon crystalline anhydrous lactitol is crystallized,
- wherein said resulting crystalline anhydrous lactitol absorbs less than about 0.1% of water at about 25.degree. C. when the relative humidity is less than about 50%.
A method for sweetening food comprising the steps of adding to said food a crystalline anhydrous lactitol belonging to the monoclinic crystal system and having unit cell constant a=7.61 .ANG., b=10.757 .ANG., c=9.37 .ANG., and .beta.=108.2.degree. and a melting point of 149.degree. C. to 152.degree. C., a water content below 0.5% and a lactitol content of more than 99%, and obtaining food sweetened with said crystalline lactitol, wherein said lactitol absorbs less than about 0.1% of water at about 25.degree. C. when the relative humidity is less than about 50%.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.