Sugar Alcohols aren't Sugar or Alcohol
http://tpeaks.com/archives/sugarfreeinfo.html

We are all familiar with the ingredient known as corn syrup. Many of us have used it in our own kitchens. Well, a sugar alcohol can look very much like corn syrup.

Hydrogenated Starch

Hydrolysate, the sugar alcohol used in Steel's products, is actually derived form high grade
maltose corn syrup. Through a process known as hydrogenation (the introduction of hydrogen to the syrup), the "sugars" that make up maltose syrup are transformed from "sugars" to "itols" or polyols (short for polyhydric alcohols). 

So now maltose, the sugar, has been transformed into Maltitol, the sugar alcohol. This polyol has an entirely different chemical make up than sugar and thus carries its new chemical name. In addition, polyols have other favorable attributes. Since maltose is now a sugar alcohol, Maltitol, it will metabolize in the body more slowly than sucrose (table sugar), and some Maltitol will pass through the body without being metabolized at all. Thus Maltitol syrup will not cause a significant rise in blood sugar.

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Development and Application of Maltitol

Maltitol in the research is manufactured from starches by treating in combination with three enzymes and then reducing the resultant moltose by hydrogenation under high pressure. The yield of total sugar from starch is 90%, The maltose comtent in total sugar is 85%. The hydrogenation conversion rate of Maltitol is 95%. Maltitol is a disaccharose alcohol. The sweetness to maltitol is similar to that of sucrose. Maltitol has low caloric power, non-fermentation, non-crystallization, water retention capacity, chemical stabilities, etc. Maltitol is widely useful in the applications to food, medicine, tobacco, light Industries, etc.