Polyols are alcohols containing multiple hydroxyl groups. In two technological disciplines the term "polyol" has a special meaning: food science and polymer chemistry. Polyols in food science Sugar alcohols, a class of polyols, are commonly added to foods because of their lower caloric content than sugars; however, they're also, in general, less sweet, and are often combined with high-intensity sweeteners. They're also added to chewing gum because they aren't metabolized (broken down) by bacte… (More on Polyol)