Sugars & Sweeteners
Erythritol in gelato
Erythritol is a nearly zero-calorie crystalline sugar alcohol (polyol) used in gelato and sorbet as a partial sugar replacer. It contributes solids and a strong freezing-point depression while adding only about 70% of sucrose's sweetness.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 100% |
| Water | 0% |
| Sugars | 100% |
| Fat | 0% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 0% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 70 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 280 |
Typical use: About 3-10% of the mix as a partial replacement for sucrose; rarely used as the sole sweetener.
Balance erythritol in a real recipe
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Erythritol has an unusually high PAC-to-POD ratio: at roughly 280 PAC (dry) it depresses the freezing point about 2.8 times more than sucrose per gram, because its small molecule (MW 122 vs sucrose's 342) has a strong colligative effect, yet it delivers only about 70% of the sweetness. Use it to soften and lower the serving temperature of a mix, or in sugar-reduced formulas, while compensating the lost sweetness with a high-intensity sweetener or another sugar. Keep the dose moderate: erythritol crystallizes above roughly 8% and, in excess, produces an overly hard, sandy, and noticeably cooling product.
Origin & background
Erythritol occurs naturally in fruits and fermented foods and was first isolated by the Scottish chemist John Stenhouse in 1848. Modern commercial production began in the 1990s in Japan via yeast fermentation of glucose, and it received GRAS status from the US FDA in 2001.