The polymorphism of sorbitol was investigated, confirming the existence of four anhydrous crystalline phases plus the hydrate. The crystallised melt (CM), the alpha form, and the gamma form were obtained via a dry route. The CM was confirmed to be a crystalline state with a spherulite morphology. The alpha form was obtained via direct conversion from the CM, in contrast to more complicated routes previously reported, and was found to have a very high crystallinity. Gamma crystals were obtained by seeding the melt at high temperature; however, crystallinity was clearly less than for alpha crystals. Despite its lower crystallinity, the gamma polymorph was found to be the most stable of the anhydrous crystalline forms; this was confirmed by its high melting point and low hygroscopicity. In contrast, the alpha polymorph has a relatively high melting point but lacks moisture stability at high relative humidity. The hydrate form has the same resistance to moisture as the gamma form, but melts at a lower temperature. The combination of both a high melting point and high stability in the presence of water makes the gamma polymorph best suited for confectionary applications. (c) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.