Caloric utilization of sorbitol and isomalt in the rat

Sorbitol and isomalt are modified saccharides used to substitute for the physical properties of sucrose in various prepared foods. The merits of the various methods for determining caloric availability were reviewed. Balance and growth curve methods are inaccurate and inappropriate for determination of the caloric availability of these substances when present in diets at low concentrations, whereas the radiolabel disposition method is a direct and precise measure of utilization. Accordingly, the authors administered uniformly /sup 14/C-labeled material to rats and collected excreta and expired air. The appearance of about half of the label in CO/sub 2/ indicated that, by comparison with labeled glucose, about 80% of the orally administered sorbitol and isomalt was calorically available to the rat. The high caloric availabilities of these materials were confirmed by the appearance in feces of only 14 and 12% of the administered label from sorbitol and isomalt, respectively.