Dilute acid hydrolysis and fermentation of corn fiber to xylitol

Xylitol, a five-carbon sugar alcohol, has similar sweetening power as sucrose. It has unique pharmacological properties such as prevention of tooth decay and ear infection in children; it is used as a sugar substitute for diabetic patients and in parenteral application to trauma patients. Xylitol is increasingly being used in chewing gums, candy, soft drinks, ice cream and oral hygiene products. It occurs naturally in low levels in fruits and vegetables but it is impractical to extract xylitol from these sources. Xylitol can be produced from the catalytic hydrogenation of xylose or xylose-rich hemicellulose hydrolysates. The chemical production route requires extensive purification to meet food and pharmaceutical standards and therefore the product is very expensive.