What is glycerine?
Glycerine, also spelled as glycerin and known as glycerol, is an odorless and colorless liquid that can be found in nature. It’s typically made from vegetable or animal fat, but can be made synthetically as well.
Glycerin is, in simple terms, an organic alcohol mixture of sugar and alcohol and is fully miscible in water.
Due to its properties, glycerin has many uses in nearly every industry. It’s most common uses are:
• Thickening agent in Cosmetics and Foods
• Emulsifier and humectant (a hygroscopic substance used to keep things moist) in Cosmetics
• Sweetening agent
• Plasticizer in Packaging, Paints and Paper industry
• Preservative in many industries, such as foods and beverages, etc.
Glycerin is widely used across many industries, such as:
• Food/beverage applications
• De-icing/anti-freeze applications
• Pharmaceutical applications
• Cosmetic/personal care applications
• Industrial applications
Glycerin is a clear, syrupy liquid with a sweet taste and is extremely hygroscopic (water-attracting) in pure form. It is produced by the reaction of oils and fats with water, and is separated and purified to make a high quality product suitable for a wide range of end uses.
Industrial Applications :Glycerin has important industrial applications, for example as a polymer building block in the production of alkyd resins and polyurethanes for use in paints, inks and coatings.
Glycerine is also a raw material for the manufacture of many different types of chemical intermediate, including solvents, plasticizers and surfactants. The water-binding tendency of glycerin is exploited in the preparation of anti-static and anti-fogging additives.
Foods and Beverages :In foods and beverages, glycerin functions variously as a humectant, solvent, preservative and sweetener. It is also used in skin creams, body washes, shampoos and soaps for its lubricating, moisturizing and clarifying properties. Due to its benign nature it can be safely ingested, and is used to sweeten and thicken cough syrups, elixirs and expectorants, toothpastes and mouthwashes. In liquid detergents, glycerin has an important role as viscosity regulator, solvent and clarifying agent.
Potential Applications :
Health Care
- Used medical and pharmaceutical preparations, mainly as a means of improving smoothness, providing lubrication and humectants
- Suppositories, cough syrups, elixirs and expectorants
Personal Care
- Serves as humectants, solvent and lubricant in personal care products
- Competes with sorbitol, although glycerin has better taste and higher solubility
- Toothpaste, mouthwashes, skin care products
Foods and Beverages
- Serves as humectants, solvent, and sweetener. May help to preserve foods.
- Solvent for flavors and food coloring
- Humectant and softening agent in candy, cakes and casings for meats and cheeses
- Manufacture of mono- and di-glycerides for use as emulsifiers
- Used in manufacture of polyglycerol esters going into shortenings and margarine.
- Used as filler in low-fat food products (e.g., cookies)
Alkyd Resins Cellophane
- Used in surface coatings and paints
- Used as softener and plasticizer to impart flexibility, pliability and toughness.
- Uses include meat casings, collagen casings, (medical applications) and non-meat packaging.
