Quality Assessment and In Vitro Anti‐Diabetic Effect Study of Xylitol Purified Through Activated Charcoal

ABSTRACT Xylitol, a sweetening agent, is present in fruits and vegetables in very small quantities. Birchwood is commonly used for the production of xylitol. During production, a huge amount of impurities is also produced during the fermentation process. The purification process plays a pivotal role in removing those impurities and ensuring the quality and purity of the final product. This study focuses on the optimization and environmentally friendly methods used to purify xylitol using activated charcoal. Response Surface Methodology (RSM) was employed to study the influence of operational conditions like temperature, time, and activated charcoal concentration on xylitol yield, as well as to identify the optimal conditions for maximizing yield while ensuring effective clarification. Further, in vitro studies were performed to examine the anti‐dietetic effect of xylitol by alpha‐amylase and alpha‐glucosidase enzyme activity. The results revealed that activated charcoal concentration of 6 g/L, a treatment time of 60 min, and a temperature of 20°C resulted in a maximum xylitol yield of 68.14%, along with a color value (∆ E ) of 32.53. The α‐amylase and α‐glucosidase inhibition were significantly increased with the value of 18.38% ± 1.67% and 11.41% ± 3.87%, respectively. This study uniquely demonstrates that purification optimization not only improves xylitol quality and yield but also positively influences its anti‐diabetic enzyme inhibitory potential, thereby adding functional value to the purified product.