Molecular formula of xylitol is C₅H₁₂O₅. Relative molecular weight is 152.15 . Melting point is94.5 ℃. It is rhombic crystal. Food grade xylitol is small white crystal like cane sugar. Caloric is similar with dextrose and sweetness is similar with cane sugar, no peculiar smell, taste cool and clean, it is hygroscopic, easy resolve in water, little resolve in methnol, alcohol, acetic acid, no resolve in aether and chloroform.

Xylitol is a kind of processed natural sweetener. It cannot be imposed by microbe in mouth so it have good function of preventing decayed tooth. It find uses in chewing gum, guard decayed tooth toothpaste, cosmetic, children guard decayed tooth food. Because it can directly enter human body cell without insulin and metabolize but not causing high blood sugar, it can lighten the symptom of overmuch drink, overmuch eating, overmuch urine of diametic and guard liver. So it is the ideal supplement drugs and replacer of sugar. Besides produce sugar free special healthcare functional food, such as cake, confectionery, beverage, it can also be used to produce xylitol injection which used by diabetic, liverish patients and the operation of deviant metabolism patients. It is also widely used in battery, cigarette, surfactant and organic combination.