Chemistry

Molecular formula: C12H24O11

Molecular weight: 344.3

Lactitol has good water solubility.

Taste

Maltitol has a clean sweet taste with minimal cooling effect in the mouth. It is about 70% as sweet as sucrose on a weight basis.
The concentration vs. response relationship in water is shown below. This graph is based on data from DuBois, Walters, Schiffman, Warwick, Booth, Pecore, Gibes, Carr & Brands in "Sweeteners: Discovery, Molecular Design, and Chemoreception," D.E. Walters et al., Eds., American Chemical Society, 1991. The units of R are percent sucrose equivalent; the units of C are percent maltitol on a weight basis

Safety

See my essay "Polyols--Digestive Issues" for a discussion of the potential gastrointestinal effects of polyol consumption.