Artificial sweeteners and other substitutes of sugar are all synthetic chemicals. Many of these were found incidentally during different laboratory studies. For example, aspartame was found during an ulcer drug research, saccharin was obtained from coal tar, and sucralose was synthesized by analogy to the sugar molecule.

Research supporting the food sector argues that artificial sweeteners do not cause any harm to human health in normal use, while independent research results show that if these substances are used for a long time, they may cause serious diseases leading to cancer. The most important point here is to know the amount of use of these substances that will not harm human health.

Sorbitol is also one of the artificial sweeteners. A sugar obtained by reducing glucose and fructose is alcohol. It has as much calorie value as glucose. However, it is absorbed slowly in the body and delays the formation of a feeling of hunger.

Sorbitol is naturally found in fruits such as apples and pears and in tobacco plants. It is very light sweet and has a caramel-like scent. Sorbitol is a sugar alcohol and is widely used as an artificial sweetener. It is also used as a moisture trap to keep food products moist, especially in the food industry.

In the context of chemical food analysis, studies are carried out by authorized laboratories to determine sorbitol among many artificial sweeteners. High performance liquid chromatography method (HPLC) is used in these studies and the standards published by local and foreign organizations are followed. The standards considered in the determination of sorbitol are:

• TS EN 12630 Fruit and vegetable juices - Determination of glucose, fructose, sorbitol and sucrose content - High-performance liquid chromatography method
• TS EN 15086 Foodstuffs - Determination of isomalt, lactitol, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol and xylitol in foodstuffs