The invention relates to a method for the production of sorbit by catalytic hydrogenation of a monosaccharide forming sorbit during said hydrogenation in a liquid phase, characterized in that the catalyst is obtained by 1) single or multiple treatment of an amorphous silicon dioxide based carrier material with a halogen-free aqueous solution of a low-molecular ruthenium compound and subsequent drying of the treated carrier material at a temperature of less than 200 DEG C, ii) reduction of the solid obtained in I) with hydrogen at a temperature ranging from 100 to 350 DEG C, wherein step ii) is carried out directly after step i).
