What is D-mannitol and what is it used for?
D-mannitol (mannitol, CAS 69-65-8) is a non-hygroscopic polyol used as a bulking agent and excipient. It is used as a diluent and bulking agent for direct-compression tablets, an anticaking, free-flow and bulking agent and non-nutritive sweetener in food, a flavor carrier, and a feedstock for resins and plasticizers.
MANNITOL- ▸ Pharmaceutical excipient: Diluent and bulking agent for tablets
- ▸ Food processing: Anti-caking, free-flow, and bulking agent; non-nutritive sweetener
- ▸ Flavor carrier: Encapsulating and free-flow agent for flavors
- ▸ Plastics: Feedstock for resins and plasticizers
- ▸ Electronics: Component of dry electrolytic capacitors (with boric acid)
A grade-specific Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — with the complete hazard classification, handling precautions, and transport information — is supplied with every shipment and available on request. Confirm all safety and regulatory details against the SDS for your specific grade.
Request SDS →D-Mannitol (mannitol; CAS 69-65-8) is a naturally occurring sugar alcohol (a hexitol polyol). It is a white, crystalline, non-hygroscopic powder with about half the sweetness of sucrose and a clean, cooling mouthfeel. Those properties — especially its resistance to picking up moisture — make it a preferred pharmaceutical excipient and a bulk sweetener in food. Identity: PubChem.
What is D-mannitol?
Mannitol is the sugar alcohol of mannose, C6H14O6. Unlike most polyols it is non-hygroscopic and chemically stable, with a negative heat of solution that gives a cooling sensation. It is metabolized differently from sugar (low glycemic, lower calorie) and is widely used where moisture stability and a clean taste matter.
Grades
Pharmaceutical grade (USP/EP) — including direct-compression and granular grades (Pearlitol-type) for tableting; food grade as a bulk sweetener and anti-caking/dusting agent; and technical grades. Specify the grade and particle size on the RFQ; the CoA documents the lot.
Applications by sector
Pharmaceutical. A tablet and capsule diluent and bulking agent, valued because it is non-hygroscopic (protecting moisture-sensitive actives) and pleasant-tasting — the standard excipient for chewable and orally disintegrating tablets; also a carrier in dry-powder formulations. Food. A bulk sweetener, anti-caking and dusting agent (for example on chewing gum), and a low-glycemic sugar replacer in sugar-free products (food grade). Industrial. A chemical intermediate and polyol feedstock. These describe functional uses, not health claims.
Handling and documentation
Mannitol is a stable, non-hygroscopic powder; manage dust per the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Each lot ships with a Certificate of Analysis (CoA); pharma grades carry the USP/EP monograph documentation.
Bulk supply and RFQ
RawSource supplies D-mannitol in bulk — pharmaceutical (USP/EP), food and technical grades — with CoA and SDS per lot. Submit an RFQ with your grade, particle size and target quantity.
Typical Properties
Typical reference values, not a specification; the Certificate of Analysis (CoA) for the lot governs.
| Property | Typical Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical Name | D-Mannitol (mannitol) |
| CAS Number | 69-65-8 |
| Molecular Formula | C6H14O6 |
| Appearance | White crystalline powder/granule |
| Character | Non-hygroscopic; ~0.5x sucrose sweetness; cooling mouthfeel |
| Solubility | Soluble in water |
| Grades | USP/EP (pharma, incl. direct-compression); food; technical |
Regulatory & registration requirements
- TSCA (US):
- REACH (EU): Not determined from public registry
- EC number: 200-711-8
Source: EPA TSCA Inventory (July 2025 release) · ECHA CHEM — retrieved 2026-07-12
Reviewed and updated July 2026 by the RawSource technical team.
D-Mannitol (mannitol, CAS 69-65-8) is a non-hygroscopic sugar alcohol used as a bulk sweetener, anti-caking agent, and free-flowing bulking agent across food, nutraceutical, and industrial applications.
Key Figures for Bulk D-Mannitol Buyers
- Molecular weight
- 182.17 g/mol (C6H14O6), the value used for molar and formulation calculations. Source: PubChem CID 6251 (U.S. National Library of Medicine), 2026.
- Melting point
- 166 °C (439.1 K), a measured constant relevant to drying, melt-processing, and thermal handling. Source: NIST Chemistry WebBook (Barone et al., 1990).
- U.S. food-additive use limits
- Not to exceed 98% in pressed mints, 5% in all other hard candy and cough drops, 31% in chewing gum, 40% in soft candy, 8% in confections and frostings, 15% in nonstandardized commercial jams and jellies, and less than 2.5% in all other foods. Source: 21 CFR 180.25 (FDA), 2024 edition.
- Laxative-effect labeling trigger
- Foods whose foreseeable consumption reaches 20 g of mannitol per day must carry a laxative-effect statement. Source: 21 CFR 180.25 (FDA), 2024 edition.
- EU purity spec (E 421)
- Assay not less than 96.0% D-mannitol on the dried basis. Source: Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012.
Solutions Using This Product
Process-solution guides on this site that specify this chemistry:
Frequently Asked Questions
What is D-mannitol used for?
D-mannitol (CAS 69-65-8) is used as a pharmaceutical excipient (tablet/chewable diluent and bulking agent, especially for moisture-sensitive actives), a food bulk sweetener and anti-caking/dusting agent, and a chemical intermediate.
Why is mannitol used in tablets?
It is non-hygroscopic, chemically stable, pleasant-tasting and available in direct-compression grades, so it protects moisture-sensitive actives and presses well — the reasons it is a standard excipient for chewable and orally disintegrating tablets.
Is mannitol the same as sorbitol?
Both are sugar alcohols, but mannitol is non-hygroscopic and crystalline while sorbitol is hygroscopic; mannitol is chosen where moisture stability and a dry, free-flowing powder matter.
What is the CAS and formula of mannitol?
D-mannitol is CAS 69-65-8 (PubChem CID 6251), molecular formula C6H14O6. The CoA documents grade and particle size.
How is bulk mannitol supplied and quoted?
RawSource supplies pharmaceutical, food and technical grades in bulk with CoA and SDS per lot. Pricing is quote-based on grade, particle size and volume; submit an RFQ with your target quantity.
Is D-mannitol the same as mannitol?
Yes. In commercial food and industrial supply, “mannitol” means D-mannitol, the naturally occurring stereoisomer sold under CAS 69-65-8. It is the same material described on the product specification and Certificate of Analysis (CoA). The “D-” prefix denotes optical configuration; material labeled “mannitol” or “D-mannitol” at CAS 69-65-8 is identical for sweetener, anti-caking, and bulking use.
What is the difference between D-mannose and mannitol?
They are different compounds. D-mannose is a simple sugar, a six-carbon monosaccharide (C6H12O6); D-mannitol is the corresponding sugar alcohol, or polyol (C6H14O6). Catalytic hydrogenation adds two hydrogen atoms to the sugar to yield the mannitol polyol. For sourcing they carry different CAS numbers and specifications; mannitol (CAS 69-65-8) is the bulk sweetener and anti-caking agent, not mannose.
What is D-mannitol made of?
Commercial D-mannitol is made by catalytic hydrogenation of carbohydrate solutions containing glucose or fructose, matching the food-additive definitions in 21 CFR 180.25 and Regulation (EU) No 231/2012. Its molecular formula is C6H14O6, a six-carbon sugar alcohol (hexitol). Bulk food and industrial grades are manufactured from these sugar feedstocks, then crystallized and milled to a specified particle-size grade, with each lot documented on the Certificate of Analysis.
What is the REACH and TSCA regulatory status of D-Mannitol (Mannitol)?
D-Mannitol (Mannitol) (CAS 69-65-8) is listed as Active on the U.S. EPA TSCA Inventory; its REACH registration status is not determined from the public ECHA registry.