What are the different uses of glycerin?

Glycerin is a versatile compound that boasts a variety of industrial usage. For foods and beverages, it is used primarily as a humectant, or moisture retainer. As a food additive, glycerin serves as filler in commercially prepared low-fat foods and as thickener in liqueurs. Though the American Dietetic Association categorized glycerin as a carbohydrate and has the same calorie units as that of sucrose, it doesn’t induce hyperglycemia (or elevated blood sugar level) nor feed plaque-forming bacteria, making it a good alternative sweetener. Glycerin is a special component for the production of snus, a Swedish snuff. Its ester is manufactured into shortenings, margarines and emulsifiers.

Glycerin is added in medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic formulations to serve as lubricant and gloss. It is blended in cough syrups, toothpastes, oral care products, lotions, shaving foams, hair care products, and soaps. Glycerin is also used as a caking agent in solid medical preparations such as pills. It is a popular laxative in suppository or enema form by encouraging a hyperosmotic effect through anal mucosa irritation.

In its purest form, glycerin is also an effective remedy for skin conditions like burns, bites, psoriasis, cuts, rashes, calluses, and bedsores. It can also be applied orally to control halitosis, as it is an effective bacterial dessicant. Glycerin is very effective with dental problems because it penetrates and eliminates bacterial flora quickly.

Glycerin also prevents chemical breakdown of herbal tinctures or ethanol extracts. When utilized in an extraction solvent base in proper concentrations, it allows stability for the extract’s components over several years. It can also be a good solvent substitute in herbal extraction preparations. Because of its bacteriostatic action, it is also an effective preservative for botanical products.

At www.WhatIsGlycerin.com, they offer glycerin products that are vegetable-based and of food grade varieties. Products have been manufactured under quality standards then repackaged and labeled into easy-to-use containers. What Is Glycerin is another quality website from Chemicals Direct, a chemical distributor based in Atlanta, Georgia that focuses on creating product-specific websites for ease of proper chemical identification and ordering.

Buy Vegetable Glycerin

Vegetable glycerin is propan-1,2,3-triol in IUPAC nomenclature. It is also synonymous with glycol, glycerine, and glycol alcohol. Glycerin has a CAS registry number is 56-81-5 and a chemical formula of C₃H₈O₃. Glycerin’s name is derived from the Greek word glykys meaning sweet -- as the chemical’s taste is characterized. This chemical is characterized as hygroscopic, colorless and viscous and was discovered in 1779 as a by-product of olive oil saponification by K.W. Shele. Initially used in homegrown industries such as textile and ink, it later became a crucial product for explosives, greatly valued during the two world wars.

Glycerin, as a bioorganic substance, can be seen in living entities like animals and plants. Manufacturing process is usually seen through saponification: fat hydrolysis yields a crude substance which is first refined and condensed into sweet water (an aqueous solution). Sweet water is then further distilled and refined until the solution arrives in its pure glycerol state.

Glycerin is added in soaps to give it a smooth finish. A natural humectant, it also gives moisture to the skin, making it a component of lotions, body creams, and body butter. Glycerin lengthens the shelf life of jams, spreads, and butters. It adds volume to ice cream while minimizing its sugar content. It also enhances the taste of flavorings like vanilla. Glycerin is an ideal ingredient in cosmetic products because it is insoluble in vegetable and mineral oils and cosmetic esters as well. It can also be a fine alcohol substitute.

Glycerin boils at 290°C and melts at 20°C. It is miscible in water, ethanol, acetone, and DMSO while immiscible in ether and benzene. It has a specific gravity of 1.26 (20/20°C) and a vapor density of 3.17 (AIR=1). 

Glycerin is highly flammable but doesn’t have any spontaneous combustibility, self-reactivity, and ignitability. It has a flash point of 177°C and an autoignition of 393°C. It should not be stored with other strong oxidizing agents such as chromium trioxide, potassium chlorate, or potassium permanganate to avoid explosion. Glycerin is considered stable under normal conditions, though it should be handled carefully because it is hygroscopic. 

Our vegetable glycerin is derived from plant sources like palm and coconut and classified as kosher and food grade. It can be added with cosmetic products, food preparations, and pharmaceutical applications. Its sweet taste and non-toxicity makes it a good alternative sweetener. Our product is manufactured under meticulous supervision and packaged in sterile condition, following the standards set by the FDA so customers are assured of safety and quality.

Buy Vegetable Glycerin is another domain of Chemicals Direct, a chemical distributor based in Atlanta, Georgia that focuses on creating product-specific websites for ease of proper chemical identification and ordering. Buy our products now! All are available and ready to be shipped within the day.