How long has xylitol been used for humans?
Xylitol was originally discovered in the 1890’s and has been used extensively in Europe since World War II. Although originally approved by the FDA in 1963, as a special food additive, xylitol is relatively new to the US market. Because of recent studies demonstrating its dental benefits, the market for xylitol in the US is rapidly expanding. In many countries, including Finland, Sweden, Japan and South Korea, xylitol is commonly used in all types of dental care and confectionery products. In fact, in these countries it’s hard to even find chewing gum without xylitol.
