1.  MANNITOL

1. PRODUCT CHARACTERISTICS

Alternate name / Mannite
Manna Suga
Cordycepic acid
Appearance / White Powder
Chemical Formula / C6H4O6
Moleculer Weight / 182.17
CAS NO. / 69-65-8
Taste / Sweetish taste
Density / 1.489
Stability / Forms a stable eqimolecular compound with H2O2
Melting Point / 167 to 170 deg.C
Boiling Point / 290 to 295 deg.C
Optical activity / Inactive or slightly levorotatary in distilled water
Solubility / One gram dissolves in about 5.5ml. water, 83 ml alcohol.
More soluble in hot water
Insoluble in ether
Soluble in pyridine,aniline, aqueous solution of alkali

2. PRODUCT APPLICATIONS

Pharmaceutical Sector : Mannitol in pyrogen free pure form, finds extensive use as a diuretic in the manufacture of Intravenous (IV Fluids) and tablets.

Used as excipient and diluent for solids and liquids in pharmaceuticals.

Food Sector : * As anticaking and free flow agent

* Flavouring agent

* Lubricant and release agent

* Stabiliser and thickener

* Nutritive sweetener

Miscellaneous applications : * Used with Boric acid in the manufacture of dry electrolytic condensers for radio applications.

* In making artificial resins and plasticisers

* In analytical chemistry for boron determinations

* In the manufacture of Mannitol hexanitrate

3. IMPORTS Around 750 tonnes per annum

4. EXPORTS Nil

5. INDIAN MANUFACTURERS

Mannitol is not presently produced in the country.

Earlier, Unicorn organics set up a project in Andhra Pradesh for the manufacture of Mannitol. The project is not in operation now. The unit has suspended the production of Mannitol around five years back.

Jayant Vitamins, Ratlam, Madhya Pradesh was the first Indian company to produce Mannitol, though not of pharma grade. The unit is not presently producing Mannitol.

6. DEMAND SUPPLY TRENDS

Estimated Indian Demand Around 750 tonnes per annum

Likely growth rate in demand 8 to 9% per annum

The Indian requirements are entirely met by imports.

7. MANUFACTURING PROCESS

Mannitol production is almost parallel to the Sorbitol production and in fact, it can be a co-product along with Sorbitol. While sorbitol production is followed from starch, Mannitol can be produced using sugar as base material.

Reduction of the d-Mannose with Sodium borohydride or electrolysis leads to d-Mannitol in good yield.

Reduction of fructose leads to Sorbitol and D-Mannitol in equal parts. Sucrose, on reduction under hydrolysing conditions, also yields the same products in the ratio of three parts of Sorbitol to one of D-Mannitol.

Commercially, D-Mannitol is obtained by the reduction of invert sugar.

8. GLOBAL SCENARIO

Global manufacturers

* Roquette Freres, France

* Hefti AG, Switzerland

* Century Multech, Inc., USA

9. RECOMMENDATIONS

Mannitol is an important pharmaceutical intermediate finding increasing applications in the production of IV fluids.

The demand for the product is likely to go up steadily in the coming years, in view of the expected growth of the healthcare in the country.

As there is no production of Mannitol, strong case exists to create fresh capacity for Mannitol in the country.

The quality and cost competitiveness of the product are vital factors, since the product has to compete with the imported product, in conditions, where there is no particular constraint for the imports.

Mannitol project can be set up in Tamil Nadu in view of the fact that it would be an attractive and relevant import substitution projects.

Recommended capacity 600 tonnes per annum

Estimated project cost Rs.7.5 crores