Honey, salt and sugar are one of the oldest humectants food used in food. They are still widely used, especially in home processing (jams and jellies). Traditionally, IMF foods are simply dried until the desired water activity is obtained. But nowadays, processors of IMF foods combine heat treatment such as surface drying and humectants for stronger effect. In the food industry, food manufacturers use sugar alcohols or polyols as humectants. In chemistry, polyols are compounds that contain multiple hydroxyl groups. Polyols are a class of sweeteners. They are colorless and odorless. One main difference between sugar and polyols is that polyols are not as readily fermentable as sugar by microbes in the mouth. Hence, they are non-cariogenic—they do not cause tooth decay. They provide the bulk of sugar, without as many calories as sugar. It is worth noting that not all polyols are good humectants as some are non-hygroscopic. One good example of non-hygroscopic polyol is lactitol.

Affrin Sulthana B

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