Erythritol's Cooling Effect

[scott123]

I was doing some research on isomalt today and came across this interesting tidbit regarding erythritol:

"Erythritol or any other negative heat of solution ingredients will impart a cooling effect if it is in a crystalline state in the final product," explains Nana. "When in a solution -- a dissolved state -- like in a beverage, there is no cooling effect.

What does this mean? It means that as long as the erythritol stays dissolved in a recipe there is NO cooling effect. As polyd helps to keep erythritol dissolved, this is one more reason why polyd and e work so well together.

[CRosie]

Scott,

I've noticed that the manufacturers of low carb chocolate who use erythritol in their products, also frequently include oligofructose, inulin and/or Poly D in the formulations.

I thought it might be for additional bulk, but now I wonder if it helps to reduce the cooling effect?

Also, have you tried the erythritol from Netrition?

I notice they call it a "powder"? I've never seen erythritol sold in a powder form, only in a very fine grain.

Ok, this may sound like an obvious statement, but it sounds like it makes sense to first dissolve erythritol in a liquid before adding to a recipe?


THanks, Rosie

[scott123]

Originally Posted by CRosie

I've noticed that the manufacturers of low carb chocolate who use erythritol in their products, also frequently include oligofructose, inulin and/or Poly D in the formulations.

I thought it might be for additional bulk, but now I wonder if it helps to reduce the cooling effect?

Chocolate, having no water content, can't keep the erythritol 'dissolved.' That's probably why erythritol based chocolates get so many complaints of tasting minty. The polyd/inulin and/or oligofructose do help sub for some of the erythritol, though, and the result is certainly less cooling.

Originally Posted by CRosie

Also, have you tried the erythritol from Netrition?

I notice they call it a "powder"? I've never seen erythritol sold in a powder form, only in a very fine grain.

I've used the granular erythritol from Netrition. It's excellent. They have two kinds now, the granular and the powdered. I haven't tried the powdered.

Originally Posted by CRosie

Ok, this may sound like an obvious statement, but it sounds like it makes sense to first dissolve erythritol in a liquid before adding to a recipe?

Actually, erythritol is not that hard to dissolve. It's less soluble than sugar, but with enough heat, it dissolves fine. Normal baking temperatures usually do the trick. Low temperature items like custard or cheesecake may involve insufficient heat to dissolve it, but for most other items you don't have to worry about dissolving it first.

The big issue with erythritol, though, is keeping it dissolved. Erthritol is extremely prone towards recrystallization. You bake the brownies... taste them hot out of the oven... they taste fine... as they cool, though, they start getting grainy/sandy. This is recrystallization. The less erythritol you use, the less likely it will re-crystallize. Polyd, by helping to keep the erythritol dissolved, prevents crystallization as well.