Glycerol (E422)

About This Product

Glycerol, also called glycerine or glycerin, is propane-1,2,3-triol, formula C3H8O3 and CAS number 56-81-5, with the European additive number E422. This refined grade is a clear, colourless to slightly yellow, viscous liquid of 99 percent nominal purity, sweet-tasting and fully miscible with water.

In food its most useful property is the way it binds water. Three hydroxyl groups on a very small molecule make glycerol an efficient humectant, lowering water activity so that soft cakes, cereal bars, fillings, icings and dried fruit stay soft and resist both drying out and microbial growth. It is about 60 percent as sweet as sucrose, it does not crystallise, and it dissolves flavourings and colours that are insoluble in water, so it serves as the carrier in many flavour extracts. The purity tests in this specification, for chlorinated compounds, fatty acids and esters and readily carbonisable substances, are those of refined pharmacopoeial glycerol. For food use, buyers should also require the test for diethylene glycol and ethylene glycol, and confirm the origin of the glycerol where vegetarian, halal or kosher status matters.

It is used in bakery and cereal bars, confectionery, fondants and icings, fillings, dried and candied fruit, flavour extracts and colour carriers, beverages, and in soft gelatine capsules and supplements.

Bio Green Foods supplies glycerol with a glycerol content of 95.0 to 100.5 percent, typically 99.8, to specification on colour, state, relative density, colour and lustre, fatty acids and esters, chlorinated compounds and readily carbonisable substances, in 250 kg drums or ISO tanks.