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E964 Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate (Polyglycitol syrup)

E964SweetenersOrigin: Plant
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VeganYes

Made from corn starch.

Gluten-freeYes
HalalYes
KosherYes
KetoYes

A polyol, so it barely moves blood sugar.

Low-FODMAPDepends

Sorbitol and maltitol are polyol FODMAPs above about 5 and 10 grams.

The short answer
Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, sold as E964 polyglycitol syrup, is a corn-derived syrup of sugar alcohols used as a bulking sweetener in gum and candy. It is safe and it barely moves blood sugar, but it is a polyol, so more than about 10 grams a day can cause gas and loose stools.
Use in moderation

Safe in small amounts; may bother some people or raise blood sugar.

E-numberE964
Comes fromPlant
What it doesSweeteners
Glycemic index—
Daily limitNot set
Also calledHydrogenated starch hydrolysate, Polyglycitol syrup

Rules by country

🇺🇸 US FDAApproved
🇪🇺 European UnionApproved with limits
🇨🇦 Health CanadaApproved
CaliforniaNo extra rules

Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate is generally recognized as safe in the US. In the EU it is authorized as E964 polyglycitol syrup by Commission Regulation (EU) No 1049/2012, with specifications set by Regulation (EU) No 1050/2012, and it is permitted at quantum satis in many food categories with limits in others. Because it is a polyol, EU rules require a statement about its laxative effect above a threshold.

Daily limit: Experts haven’t set a number because normal food amounts are far below any level of concern.

What is it?

The process starts with corn syrup, which is hydrolyzed into glucose and then hydrogenated so the carbonyl groups are converted into hydroxyl groups. That turns sugar into polyols, mostly maltitol with sorbitol and heavier polyols. Unlike pure maltitol, this syrup does not crystallize, which is why it is used where a soft, non-recrystallizing sweetener is needed, such as chewing gum and shelf-stable confectionery.

Where it comes from: Corn syrup is broken down into smaller sugars and then hydrogenated, which converts the sugars into polyols. The result is a syrup made mostly of maltitol and sorbitol with a fraction of larger polyols that do not crystallize.

Why it’s in food

  • Bulking agent in gum
  • Sugar-free confectionery
  • Humectant
  • Tabletop sweetener
  • Diet products

Often found in

Chewing gumSugar-free candySugar-free biscuitsTable sugar substitutesMints

Also listed as: Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate, Polyglycitol syrup, Hydrogenated glucose syrup, Polyglucitol, Hydrogenated starch hydrolysates, Polyglycitol

Health & gut impact

Glycaemic responseBenefit

Polyols are absorbed slowly and incompletely, so a serving of hydrogenated starch hydrolysate has a much smaller effect on blood glucose than the same weight of sucrose. That is the whole point of it in a sugar-free product.

EFSA Panel on Food Additives, opinion on polyglycitol syrup (2019)

Laxative thresholdUnder study

Polyols that reach the colon unabsorbed are fermented by gut bacteria, and the by-products pull water into the bowel. EU labelling rules require a statement that excessive consumption may have a laxative effect, and the effect starts somewhere around 10 grams for sorbitol and maltitol.

Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 on the labelling of polyols

CaloriesUnder study

It is not calorie-free. The polyols it contains still supply energy, and the heavier polyols in it are less well absorbed than pure maltitol, so the effective calories sit between those of sugar and of a polyol sweetener.

EFSA Panel on Food Additives, opinion on polyglycitol syrup (2019)

What can I use instead?

Maltitol

Ratio: Use a similar weight; it crystallizes where this syrup does not

Best for: Tabletop sweeteners and chocolate

Sorbitol

Ratio: Use a similar weight

Best for: Candy and confectionery

Related

More sweeteners:

Acesulfame Potassium (Ace-K) E950Acesulfame potassium (Ace-K, E950) is a zero-calorie sweetener approved in the US, EU and Canada. EFSA re-checked it in 2025 and raised its daily limit. It's usually paired with sucralose or aspartame to hide a slightly bitter aftertaste.Use in moderationAdvantame E969Advantame (E969) is an extremely intense sweetener related to aspartame. Regulators approve it, and the amount in a food is tiny next to the daily limit. It does not carry aspartame's phenylalanine warning at normal use.Generally safeAgave syrup (Agave nectar)Agave syrup is a plant sweetener that is mostly fructose. It barely moves blood sugar, and it is still sugar: skip it on keto and in a low-FODMAP elimination.Use in moderationAlluloseAllulose is a "rare sugar" that tastes like sugar but has almost no calories and doesn't raise blood sugar. It's keto-friendly and browns like real sugar in baking.Generally safe

Common questions

Is hydrogenated starch hydrolysate safe?

Yes. It is GRAS in the United States and authorized as E964 in the EU, and it has a long history of use in sugar-free gum. The only issue at high intakes is the laxative effect that all polyols share.

Is it the same as hydrogenated vegetable oil?

No, and the two names are confusingly similar. This is sugar that has been hydrogenated into polyols. Hydrogenated vegetable oil is liquid fat that has been hydrogenated to make it solid, and the two have nothing to do with each other.

Does it cause gas and diarrhea?

Above about 10 grams a day, yes, which is why EU rules require polyol products to carry a laxative warning. Chewing gum and hard candy use small amounts per serving, so most people stay well under the threshold.

Is Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate safe?

Use in moderation (76/100). Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate is generally recognized as safe in the US. In the EU it is authorized as E964 polyglycitol syrup by Commission Regulation (EU) No 1049/2012, with specifications set by Regulation (EU) No 1050/2012, and it is permitted at quantum satis in many food categories with limits in others. Because it is a polyol, EU rules require a statement about its laxative effect above a threshold.

Is Hydrogenated starch hydrolysate vegan?

Yes. Made from corn starch.

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Scientific sources & regulatory citations
  • EFSA OpenFoodTox: E964
  • EFSA Panel on Food Additives, opinion on polyglycitol syrup (2019)
  • Commission Regulation (EU) No 1129/2011 on the labelling of polyols

INS 964 · CAS 68425-17-2