NEWS

Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone

Xanthan Gum 80 Mesh FCC

Xanthan gum has been used for over 50 years as a food additive, primarily as a thickener. The distinction of “80 mesh” denotes a standard grain of xanthan suitable to most conditions. Chefs worldwide as well as large food manufacturers rely on xanthan gum to thicken liquids, create light foams, give vinaigrettes body, and stabilize emulsions. The Orlando food ingredient supplier Bell Chem stocks this important additive for its customers in Florida and across the nation.

In cooking and baking, xanthan gum is used in a variety of manners. Foams and froths, such as those in a cream pie, rely on xanthan to maintain their integrity. Sauces without xanthan gum would be puddles of unappealing liquid, and purees would easily separate without the emulsifying property of xanthan.

Xanthan gum 80 mesh has a neutral flavor and better mouthfeel than other grades of grain. As it thickens products, it gives the texture most associated with either liquid or solid fat, so the result is a low-fat product the mouth falsely recognizes as “buttery”.

Xanthan gum offers almost immediate results. Therefore, adding the ingredient slowly causes thickening upon contact. Sauces, purees, and soups need only a tiny amount of xanthan gum to both thicken these products and keep them from separating over time.

Cosmetic use of xanthan gum includes toothpastes, shaving foams, shampoos and gels, creams, and facial masks. The emulsifying benefit of xanthan gum is a creamy, silky texture when applied to the skin.

The pharmaceutical industry finds xanthan gum aids in lowering blood sugar and total cholesterol amounts in diabetic patients. Many manufacturers add xanthan gum to laxative medications because it expands within the digestive tract, stimulating movement of waste through the colon. It is also an additive for medicines that aid in dry mouth because it acts to slow sugar absorption.

Xanthan gum 80 mesh works well in high salt conditions and in alkaline or acidic environments. The ability to remain stable in a wide pH range gives xanthan gum a high resistance to enzymatic degradation.

With its myriad functions, xanthan gum 80 mesh is an easy-to-use food ingredient perfect for your food manufacturing needs. Call the Orlando food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to speak with one of our talented representatives concerning xanthan gum 80 mesh or one of our other food-grade ingredients. Our news page highlights many of our other products and their various uses.

Read More

Perchloroethylene

Perchloroethylene – also known as C2Cl4, tetrachloroethylene, PCE, and PERC - is a colorless, nonflammable liquid chemical associated with dry cleaning, printing, and shoe maintenance, among its other starring roles. It has a slightly sweet odor that is easily recognizable even in the smallest amounts of a solvent. The industrial chemical supplier, Bell Chem, stocks this versatile chemical for the following uses.

Dry Cleaning: Interestingly, dry cleaning is not dry at all. Instead, water is replaced with another solvent; generally perchloroethylene – the most widely used dry cleaning solvent in the world – fits this bill and is capable of removing an abundance of organic soils and contaminants.

Degreasing: As a solvent, perchloroethylene acts in an oil, grease, or buffing capacity with metal parts. Hard to reach parts benefit from perchloroethylene vapor, which can reach inside tiny crevices liquids are likely to miss.

Automotive Parts: Brakes and other automobile parts with carbon, dirt, or oil build-up are more easily cleaned with a perchloroethylene solvent. Rubber coatings for automobiles and other industrial machines are possible because of this important chemical.

Creation of Other Chemicals: Perchloroethylene acts as the raw material for chlorofluorocarbons and for the synthesis of hydrofluorocarbon and hydrochlorofluorocarbon. The chloride ions within perchloroethylene act as catalyst promoters and reformers.

Textiles: The scouring, sizing, and desizing properties of perchloroethylene give it appeal to the aerospace industry, which protects surfaces with this chemical during chemical etching processes.

Aerosol Products: Perchloroethylene is used as a solvent in spotting agents and cleaners for removing spinning oils and lubricants and as a carrier in silicones, fabrics, rubbers, glues, and adhesives.

Since the 1930s, perchloroethylene has been sought after for its many abilities, but most especially in dry cleaning. As an ingredient in solvent soaps, printing inks, sealants, paper coatings, leather treatments, polishes, cleaners, and lubricants, it seems a beneficial all-purpose chemical. Contact Bell Chem at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to discover how your business can benefit from stocking perchloroethylene and any of the other products inventoried by Florida’s industrial chemical supplier. Our blogs explain many of our products and their uses.

Read More
Food/Reagent-Grade, Nutritional Erica Weatherstone Food/Reagent-Grade, Nutritional Erica Weatherstone

Sugar Extra Fine Grain Food Grade

Granulated sugar is what most homeowners utilize in their kitchens and has a coarse texture. Extra fine grain sugar has the same chemical makeup as table sugar but is ground into much finer crystals that bakers find useful in creating fluffy meringues and smooth batters. The lighter texture derived from using super fine crystals gives lemon meringue pie and angel food cake their airiness. The food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, stocks extra fine grain sugar for home gourmets and pastry chefs alike.

The crystals of superfine sugar (also recognized by some as either “bar sugar” because of its use in mixed drinks or “baking sugar” since it is a key ingredient in baked goods) are not identical to powdered sugar. Powdered sugar is pulverized granulated sugar and does not give the same positive results extra fine (or superfine) sugar does. While Americans are used to granulated sugar, other parts of the world use extra fine sugar as their everyday sweetener.

Surprisingly, sugar has a number of varieties depending on crystal size. In decreasing order, coarse sugar can be ground into granulated sugar, fruit sugar, Baker’s Special sugar, extra fine sugar, and confectioners –or powdered – sugar. Of these varieties, all retain the same amount of sweetening content except for powdered sugar, which contains a slight amount of cornstarch to prevent clumping.

While heavier granulated sugar generally settles to the bottom of a glass of cold water without thoroughly mixing, extra fine sugar mixes readily in cold water as well as hot, giving an even amount of sweetener to any liquid source.

Extra fine grain sugar is a key ingredient in bakery products, cereals, liquid forms of sugar candies, powdered drink mixes, chewing gum, jams and jellies, dairy products, condiments, and pickles. Many pharmaceutical products, such as cough syrups, are sweetened with extra fine grain sugar.

Bell Chem stocks extra fine grain sugar for its customers to use for a large family gathering or industrially in a bakery setting. This food ingredient supplier also carries most of the other items you need to run a successful business: industrial chemicals, cleaning agents, disinfectants, food grade chemicals and ingredients, oils, and natural products. Give the courteous representatives at Bell Chem a call today at 407-339-2355 (BELL).

Read More
Food/Reagent-Grade, Nutritional Erica Weatherstone Food/Reagent-Grade, Nutritional Erica Weatherstone

Sodium Benzoate EDF Food Grade

Sodium benzoate, or NaC7H5O2, is a white or colorless crystalline powder that occurs naturally in small amounts in cinnamon, apples, cranberries, and prunes; for industrial use, sodium benzoate is created by the neutralization of benzoic acid with sodium hydroxide. Generally used as a food preservative, sodium benzoate is both bacteriostatic and fungistatic in conditions with a low pH. Bell Chem, the food ingredient supplier of Central Florida, proudly stocks sodium benzoate for its customers.

Because it works well in acidic conditions, manufacturers turn to sodium benzoate for preserving salad dressings, carbonated drinks, fermented foods such as sauerkraut, fruit juices, jams and jellies with acidic ingredients, pickles, and several condiments including hot sauce.

The pharmaceutical industry finds sodium benzoate an appropriate ingredient for medicines. Urea cycle disorders respond to sodium benzoate since it binds to amino acids so they can be excreted from the body, thereby lowering the overall amount of ammonia in the blood. Hyperammoniemia, or extreme amounts of ammonia in the blood, is another disorder thwarted by sodium benzoate.

Many forms of cosmetics utilize sodium benzoate for its characteristic preservative qualities.

While preserving foods with a low pH is its best-known asset, sodium benzoate has uses in various industries. Give Bell Chem a call today at 407-339-BELL (407-339-2355) to speak with a representative from Florida’s food ingredient supplier about the benefits your company will receive by stocking this important food ingredient. Our blog page has an abundance of information pertaining to chemicals, food ingredients, pharmaceutical grade products, sanitation chemicals, and personal care ingredients.

Read More
Caustic Potash, Chemical Supplier Florida Erica Weatherstone Caustic Potash, Chemical Supplier Florida Erica Weatherstone

Caustic Potash 45%

Caustic potash is also known as potassium hydroxide and has the simple chemical formula KOH. Caustic potash is a colorless solid typically sold as translucent pellets and is considered a strong base. Because it is hygroscopic, caustic potash becomes sticky when exposed to air. The “caustic” portion of its name is apropos; most of its applications depend on its corrosive nature and how it reacts with acids. It's exothermic properties cause it to give off substantial heat when mixed with water. Caustic potash 45% is available by the industrial chemical supplier, Bell Chem, because of its varied uses.

  • Caustic potash is a precursor to almost all liquid and soft soaps on the market. As caustic potash saponifies fats, the end product is potassium soaps, which are softer than normal. The solubility of caustic potash requires less water to liquefy, thereby giving it the ability to contain more cleaning agents; in other words, less product is used for the same amount of cleansing.

  • Chemicals containing potassium generally begin with a reaction to caustic potash. The production of potassium carbonate from caustic potash is used to manufacture television tubes and other specialty glasses.

  • Biodiesel formed from vegetable oil requires a chemical such as caustic potash to separate glycerin from the final product.

  • Alkaline batteries based on nickel hydrogen, nickel cadmium, and manganese dioxide zinc require an electrolyte for their charge, and aqueous caustic potash’s high ionic conductivity gives it the ability to outperform carbon-based batteries.

  • Caustic potash 45% is a common food thickener and stabilizer.

  • As a cleaner, caustic potash is a versatile alternative. Lotions, hairsprays, shampoos, and denture cleaners contain KOH as an ingredient. Cleaning becomes more industrious at higher concentrations, and oven cleaners, concrete cleaners, detergents, and drain and pipe cleaners may all contain caustic potash.

  • The high solubility of caustic potash 45% is ideal for use as fertilizers since potassium is one of the three major components plants need to thrive.

  • Acidic soils benefit from the pH regulating properties of caustic potash. Herbicides may also contain KOH since unwanted vegetation has specific pH needs. Changing the pH will kill the weeds.

  • To manufacture paper, caustic potash 45% acts as a defoaming agent.

Along with these multiple uses, caustic potash 45% is also used as a greaser, oxidizer, catalyst, and in electroplating. With so many wide-range uses, caustic potash will surely benefit your organization. Contact the industrial chemical supplier, Bell Chem, at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to learn about our complete line of chemicals and food additives. Our blogs list many of our chemicals and their uses.

Read More
glaciel acetic acid Erica Weatherstone glaciel acetic acid Erica Weatherstone

Glacial Acetic Acid, Food Grade

Glacial acetic acid is, more simply, undiluted acetic acid. This undiluted form makes it highly corrosive. Colorless and organic, glacial acetic acid has a variety of uses in foods and is generally marketed as a crystalline solid. Glacial acetic acid is hygroscopic, meaning it absorbs water from its surrounding environment. Because it is a weak acid, glacial acetic acid does not completely dissociate in an aqueous solution. The food ingredient supplier Bell Chem offers the following examples of glacial acetic acid’s many uses.

As the main component of vinegar, acetic acid is 3-18% of vinegar’s volume by mass, with water comprising the remainder. Vinegar is commonly used as a condiment as well as a pickling agent in canning. Although glacial acetic acid is used in other fields more commonly, its oldest and most renowned role is as the forerunner to vinegar.

With its distinctive sour taste and powerful odor, the addition of glacial acetic acid in food changes the flavor of many foods. The sour tang of pickles, sweet and sour chips, and sourdough bread are derived from glacial acetic acid.

Used as an antiseptic, glacial acetic acid is an antibacterial agent, disinfecting food preparation surfaces against staphylococci, streptococci, pseudomonas, enterococci, and other bacteria. Skin infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa may be cleared with glacial acetic acid when the infection proves resistant to traditional antibiotics.

The World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines includes acetic acid as an important medication necessary in a basic health system. As a matter of fact, acetic acid has been a staple in folk medicine for hundreds of years. Ear infections (otitis externa) are often alleviated with acetic acid. Impacted cerumen (ear wax), plantar warts, nail fungus, and impetigo can all be reduced with acetic acid.


Glacial acetic acid can be utilized on tabletops as an antibacterial agent, in canning and storing foods, and as a condiment to cook or bake foods. In other words, almost every step of your meal can contain this useful ingredient. Your food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, is only a phone call away at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to answer your questions concerning any food additive or chemical in their inventory. Read the information in our blogs to learn about chemicals, additives, oils, and many other supplies in our vast inventory.

Read More
Chemical Supplier Orlando Erica Weatherstone Chemical Supplier Orlando Erica Weatherstone

Dibasic Ester (DBE)

Dibasic esters are commonly used as lubricants, solvents, plasticizers, additives, and spin finishes. Dibasic esters are the refined dimethyl esters of adipic, glutaric, and succinic acids. They are non-flammable, non-corrosive, and quickly biodegrading – all factors leading to an environmentally-friendly product. Easily soluble in alcohol and only slightly soluble in water,  dibasic esters are colorless, clear and have a slightly fruity odor. Bell Chem, the industrial chemical supplier in Central Florida, stocks dibasic ester because of its multiple uses.

  • Dibasic ester acts as a coating agent for magnet and enamel wires, magnetic memory discs, automobiles, coils, cans, sheets, industrial paint, et cetera.

  • In seemingly direct contrast from its use with paint, dibasic ester is also considered an excellent stripping agent. It can easily clean through resin and paint, polyurethane, coatings, inks, and other polar substances. Many metropolitan areas use dibasic ester to remove graffiti and spray paint from building façades. The slow evaporation rate of dibasic ester means it can be applied to a surface and work through the grime or coating over time without any necessary reapplication.

  • As a cleaner, dibasic ester is not caustic to the environment, which has led many organizations to incorporate this chemical into their cleaning regimen. Used with other esters or solvents, a unique formula can be created for varied uses. Because dibasic ester evaporates slowly, it can be repeatedly used after recycling. Many industrial solvents have been placed on the environmental watch list; dibasic ester can replace several of these more dangerous chemicals.

  • The plastics industry utilizes dibasic ester in a variety of ways including as intermediates for polyester polyols for urethanes. Polyester and epoxy find dibasic ester the perfect ingredient to create a sealing coat.

  • Soil stabilization is an agricultural facet of dibasic ester, which is also added to pesticides and insecticides.

  • Other applications include its use in liquid detergents, in corrosion inhibition, and for textile lubrication.

Dibasic ester might be the perfect industrial chemical for your organization. Whether you are cleaning an area, stripping paint from surfaces, or coating surfaces to deter corrosion, dibasic ester is a good choice for your business and the environment. Call Bell Chem, leading industrial chemical suppliers, today at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to order dibasic ester. Our blog lists many of our other chemicals and food ingredients for your perusal.

Read More
Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone

Sodium Citrate FCC Dihydrate

Disodium hydrogen citrate, commonly referred to as sodium citrate dihydrate, is an acid salt of citric acid and has the chemical formula Na2C6H6O7. The Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) variety meets all guidelines deeming it appropriate for use in foods, beverages, and pharmaceutical products. Bell Chem, the food ingredient supplier in Orlando, has found sodium citrate dihydrate useful in emulsification, as an antioxidant, to regulate acidity, et cetera. Read below for a short description of the uses of sodium citrate FFC dihydrate and more.

 

  • When added to cheese, sodium citrate dihydrate allows cheese to melt without appearing greasy since it easily emulsifies oil. Sodium citrate dihydrate locks oil into the cheese and keeps it from oozing onto the surface.
  • As a sequestrant, sodium citrate dihydrate improves both the stability and quality of foods. Acting as a preservative, sequestrants prevent the oxidation of fats. When fats oxidize, they can easily form free radicals that break down the product and cause spoilage.
  • Sodium citrate dihydrate acts as an antioxidant in other foods as well. By stopping oxidation within any product, sodium citrate dihydrate minimizes product damage.
  • Regulating acids during the processing of foods is another function of sodium citrate dihydrate. When the chemical pH of foods is stabilized, they last longer and have a greater tendency to retain their proper taste and texture.

Sodium citrate dihydrate is a powerful food additive with far-ranging uses, as briefly outlined above. The food ingredient supplier in Orlando, Bell Chem, proudly stocks this product as well as an abundance of other food-related ingredients. Our inventory encompasses other industries as well, including water treatment, beauty care and nutrition, sanitation, and reagent-grade chemicals. Give Bell Chem a call today at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to learn about our inventory, and read the Bell Chem blog for an in-depth look at many of our chemicals and services offered.

 

Read More
Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone

Calcium Propionate FCC Crystal

Calcium propionate (Ca(C2H5COO)2) is a calcium salt of propanoic acid, which accounts for its alternate name, calcium propanoate. The “FCC” added to its name indicates this food additive complies to the rigorous Food Chemicals Codex regulations and is suitable for human consumption. In its crystal form, calcium propionate has larger granules than in powder form. Bell Chem, the Orlando food ingredient supplier, stocks calcium propionate because of its use as a preservative and mold inhibitor.

 

  • Bakeries struggle with the ever-present threat of mold. Mold can detrimentally affect inventory levels of any baked good unless a mold inhibitor is a recipe ingredient. Calcium propionate fills this need by inhibiting mold growth, which extends product shelf life.
  • Processed meats, such as deli meats, canned meats, and meat pastes containing calcium propionate, have a much longer shelf life because of the preservative properties found in this important food additive.
  • Whey, yogurt, kefir, and other dairy products with calcium propionate added have an extended shelf life and a drastic reduction in mold and bacteria infiltration.
  • While calcium propionate performs the same duties as benzoates – preventing microbes from producing energy – calcium propionate can work in a wider pH range since it works in either a neutral or basic environment as well as the standard acidic state benzoates need to perform properly.  
  • The citrus industry utilizes calcium propionate as a fungicide on oranges, lemons, grapefruits, and any other type of citrus fruit. Many other fruits, even those not considered acidic, take advantage of the fungicidal properties found in calcium propionate.

With so many uses in the food industry, it is no wonder calcium propionate crystal is frequently called upon as a dependable food ingredient. To learn more about calcium propionate crystal and other ingredients and chemicals, call the Orlando food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, at 407-339-2355 (BELL), and speak with one of our knowledgeable consultants. Read the Bell Chem blog for information on many of the chemicals and food products in our extensive inventory.

 

Read More
Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone Food/Reagent-Grade Erica Weatherstone

Sodium Acetate FCC

Sodium acetate has the chemical formula CH3COONa or NaOAc. This sodium salt of acetic acid can be utilized in a wide variety of differing industries such as the textile industry, in rubber production, and in the process of cotton, for instance. Bell Chem, the Orlando food ingredient supplier, also stocks this important substance in its Food Chemicals Codex (FCC) form which is used for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, and any other form that may be consumed by humans. Below are a few of the many uses of sodium acetate FCC.

  • Salt and vinegar potato chips owe their zing to sodium acetate when it takes on the form of sodium diacetate (sodium acetate combined with acetic acid). This combination of a salt and an acid provides both flavors people crave.
  • Processed and ripening cheeses, cheese analogues and powders, and dairy products such as buttermilk, sour cream, condensed milk, and yogurt appreciate sodium acetate’s emulsifying and preserving properties.
  • Canning and drying fruits and vegetables requires an additive such as sodium acetate to prevent bacterial growth as well as to preserve the produce. Sodium acetate serves the same purpose for preserved nuts and legumes and is a common ingredient to peanut butter.
  • Canned meat and deli meats contain sodium acetate as a preservative. Canned fish, such as sardines, fish pastes, and fermented shellfish, also use sodium acetate to preserve their meat products.
  • Sodium acetate is common in commercially prepared desserts since it acts as an emulsifier in ice cream, pudding, and custard, keeping ingredients from separating. Chocolate, candy and icing, sorbet, and sherbet all contain sodium acetate as a preservative as well as an emulsifier.
  • In spreads with fat as their basic ingredient, such as mustard, broths, sauces, and butter blends, sodium acetate acts as an emulsifier and a preservative.

Sodium acetate FCC is a clear winner to stock in your storeroom. With its abundant uses, it’s a good thing Bell Chem stocks this product in volume! Give the Orlando food ingredient supplier Bell Chem a call today to 407-339-2355 (BELL) to learn more about sodium acetate and Bell Chem’s entire line of ingredients and chemicals specific to food preparation. Our website contains information on various products and services; read our blogs to learn even more about our inventory.

Read More