News

ontarget 1/23/14 ontarget 1/23/14

Sipernat 22

Sipernat 22 is the chemically prepared form of naturally occurring silicon dioxide, or SiO2. Silicon dioxide is most abundantly found in quartz, although it is also prevalent in diatoms and sea sponges. This food chemical, distributed by chemical companies, acts as a catalyst in production processes and its usefulness extends into the final products containing silicon dioxide by increasing their efficiency. But what products are aided by Sipernat 22, and how does it accomplish these feats?

Want to turn a liquid into a free flowing solid? Sipernat 22 does that. Want to dry instant foods? Sipernat 22 does that, too. What should you use to make your product smell great? Sipernat 22 will handle that as well! Using the power of one of nature’s most prevalent components, silica (or in laymen’s terms, sand), along with aluminum and calcium silicate, Sipernat 22 forms spherical particles that absorb oils and water. In fact, Sipernat 22 is remarkably hygroscopic, attracting and holding water molecules, giving the surrounding substance either less or more water as necessary. In this manner, it can either change a liquid into an almost plasma-like solid that flows fluidly or, when added to instant foods or dried foods such as herbs or spices, absorbs the water to help maintain their powdery condition. This is a great purchase from a food chemical distributor for anyone who seeks to experiment with molecular gastronomy.

Aside from the food industry, Sipernat 22 is also used in cosmetics as an additive for lipstick, deodorants, and toothpaste. As it binds or loosens water molecules that carry perfumes, the amount of fragrance will not vary from one use to another. Toothpaste retains its texture and flow because of Sipernat 22, and deodorants containing Sipernat 22 include roll-on, stick, or spray. Its versatility gives any form of solid the correct form – and fragrance – with every use.

Building enterprises also use Sipernat 22 in the form of butyl tapes and sealants to provide a watertight seal on structures such as skylights or roof overlaps. As a carrier, silica is also used in powder defoamers, rubber and plastic additives, melamine resins, powder coatings, and other construction chemicals.

Bell Chem is a leading food chemical distributor in Orlando, Florida. Serving the area and a national clientele for over two decades, we offer a vast number of industrial chemicals for purchase. To learn more, call us today at (407) 339-BELL

ontarget 1/15/14 ontarget 1/15/14

Sodium Bicarbonate USP #1

The immediate image of sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, that enters most people’s minds is an innocuous box nonchalantly huddled in the back of the refrigerator. Surprisingly, this traditional baking and odor-neutralizing agent is also a powerful player in literally hundreds of industrial uses.

Thinking of its common uses, sodium bicarbonate, or NaHCO3, is used in the cooking industry since it reacts with leavening agents to create the gaseous carbon dioxide we are used to noting as air pockets or bubbles in breads, cakes, and other pastries. It is also used to tenderize meats and in breaded items to ensure a crispy crust when the batter is baked or fried. For baking needs, sodium bicarbonate #1 can be found in grocery stores as well as Florida chemical distributors’ warehouses. In the latter of the two common uses, sodium bicarbonate has many industrial uses, including manufacture of textiles; dyeing and print operations since it elevates the dye bath alkalinity; rubber and plastics industries as a blowing agent to mold any rubber or plastic object once carbon dioxide is released; purification and catalyzing in the manufacture of complex plastics and polymers; wool and silk applications by neutralizing lactic acid in fabrics; leather industry to neutralize acids in the dyeing process; in dry chemical-based fire extinguishers to douse grease or electrical fires; for pool and spa maintenance by regulating the pH and disinfecting the water; as an anti-pollutant since it has the capability of controlling biological oxygen demand, maintaining wastewater alkalinity, and controlling odors by neutralizing sulfur dioxide; and in laboratories throughout the world as an amphoteric component with its power to neutralize either acids and bases.

The medical community also utilizes sodium bicarbonate USP #1 (a fine powder food-grade version of NaHCO3) in the dental industry to whiten teeth and stimulate gums as well as to clean oral appliances such as dentures and retainers. Dentists also use sodium bicarbonate as a rinse and gentle abrasive to keep their patients’ teeth and gums healthy, to neutralize halitosis, and to reduce infections. Many toothpastes and mouthwashes also contain food-grade sodium bicarbonate for this invigorating abrasiveness. Doctors regularly prescribe sodium bicarbonate as an antacid for its ability to neutralize the hydrochloric acid in the stomach. It is also used to treat aspirin overdoses since aspirin is an acid-based compound, sodium bicarbonate USP #1 is used to reduce acid in the blood and/or urine, to remove subcutaneous splinters, and to treat mild cases of poison ivy or other substances containing urushiol. Florida chemical distributors offer sodium bicarbonate in a number of forms, depending on your usage needs.

The myriad uses of food-grade sodium bicarbonate are too many to number. Chances are that you have used it or encountered it in some form at least once this week already. To purchase sodium bicarbonate #1, contact Bell Chem, a Florida chemical distributor. Learn more about this great product on our website, or call us at (407) 339-BELL today.

ontarget 1/10/14 ontarget 1/10/14

BC Surfactant NP-9 (Nonylphenol Ethoxylate)

BC Surfactant NP-9, or nonylphenol ethoxylate, is used primarily, as the name suggests, as a nonionic (having no electric charge in water) surfactant. A surfactant, by the way, is a substance that lowers the surface tension between two liquids or a liquid and a solid, giving nonylphenol ethoxylate the ability to disperse one form of matter into another. BC Surfactant NP-9 is a man-made substance created for industrial and domestic chemical or detergent preparations and available at Florida chemical supply companies as well as other distributors. This waxy or oily solid may be colorless or carry a slight orange tint. BC Surfactant NP-9 is chemically unreactive and viewed as stable, is soluble in water, and has a very low odor. Its other uses include:

Wetting (and de-wetting) agent: it decreases the surface tension of a liquid to assist in the penetration and spreading of another liquid or solid
Dispersant: it stabilizes the spread of a substance into another substance, especially useful in oil spills to remove large amounts of petroleum from the surface of water
Emulsifier: as a food additive, it suspends one liquid into another, as in a vinaigrette salad dressing or margarine
Cleaners and detergent: it is used widely in industrial laundry, especially in liquid detergents, and in other industries to control machine deposits and clean equipment
Foaming agent: it accelerates foam development in products

With a track record exceeding fifty years, nonylphenol ethoxylates are used in a variety of fields, including its use in paints, resins and coatings; in photography; in the processing formulations of paper, pulp and textiles; as a phosphate antioxidant in plastic and rubber manufacturing; in the pharmaceutical cosmetic industry; in indoor pesticides; with adhesives; in the manufacture of steel; with dry cleaning; and in oil and gas recovery, to name a few. With its many uses and marked usefulness, BC Surfactant NP-9 has the proven ability to maintain its stead in dozens of industries worldwide and remains a popular purchase at Florida chemical supply companies.

Bell Chem, located in Orlando, Florida, is a chemical supply company that offers hundreds of products to suit your needs, from sanitation products to nutritional ingredients and personal care raw ingredients. To learn more about what our company offers, visit our website or call us at (407) 339-BELL.

ontarget 12/24/13 ontarget 12/24/13

Calcium Propionate Crystal

Years ago, the baking industry faced a problem with its yeast-based products: how can we extend the shelf life of products without compromising the taste of the product? And if that is possible, how will a preservative affect the health of our consumers? Enter calcium propionate crystal to answer these questions! Many bakers believed the cooking process killed all the molds within their baked goods and no preservative was necessary. However, spores in the air and on the equipment – especially in a hot, humid environment – contaminated many of the products, thereby significantly reducing the shelf life of yeast-based breads. Calcium propionate, which can be obtained from an Orlando chemical supply company, mixes easily with flour while the dough is processed and has no taste or effect on health.

Bakeries are not the only industries utilizing this marvelous chemical. Calcium propionate is highly regarded in agricultural industries as a mold inhibitor in animal feed and as a preventer of mycotoxins (fungal poisons) because of its ability to inhibit microbes from producing the life-giving energy necessary for survival. The cattle industry has found that calcium propionate prevents milk fever, a form of calcium deficiency, in its dairy stock. It also has uses as a food additive and preservative to prevent mold in processed meat, tobacco products, whey and other dairy products, or in any other product where mold growth is an issue. Calcium propionate may also be used as a fungicide on fruit or as a pesticide.

Although calcium propionate crystal is naturally occurring in some cheeses and butter, it is typically produced synthetically by combining propionic acid with calcium hydroxide to produce a white crystal, crystalline powder, or granular form of calcium propionate. It may either be odorless or have a slightly acidic odor. Studies have proven that calcium propionate is one of the safest food additives used in the food industry today. Combine this with its solubility in water, its inexpensive cost, and its non-toxicity, and calcium propionate crystal has proven itself as a leader in food preservation.

As a top Orlando chemical supply company, Bell Chem offers fast delivery of any of our hundreds of chemical products including sodium chloride. Our Orlando chemical supply company is positioned as the “go to” supplier on a national, as well as international level. Give us a call today at 407-339-BELL (2355) to place an order for chemical products!

ontarget 12/20/13 ontarget 12/20/13

Microcrystalline Cellulose - MCC 102

Look in your medicine cabinet and you will probably find at least one bottle of acetaminophen, known typically by the brand name Tylenol. If you have ever taken Tylenol, you have also ingested microcrystalline cellulose, a refined wood pulp. Why would the pharmaceutical industry incorporate wood pulp into tablets and pills? Microcrystalline cellulose is an excipient, or an inactive ingredient added to bulk up an active ingredient to allow exact dosages of each medicine within tablet form. This granular white ingredient forms into hard tablets that dissolve quickly in a solvent, which makes it ideal for medicinal purposes. Microcrystalline cellulose can also be used as a texturizer, a substitute for fat, in plaque assays to count viruses, as a stabilizer, a bulking agent in processed food production, an anti-caking agent, an emulsifier, and an extender.

How does microcrystalline cellulose differ from standard cellulose? Although cellulose is Earth’s most abundant organic material, microcrystalline cellulose must be derived via high quality wood pulp before it can be distributed by an Orlando chemical supply company and used in pharmaceuticals. This refinement of microcrystalline cellulose meets United States Pharmacopeia standards, and is approved for use in medicines. Microcrystalline cellulose 102 consists mainly of single cellulose fibers. While other substances may also be used as binders for pharmaceuticals, microcrystalline cellulose has proven to be less friable, smoother to swallow in tablet form, and has the potential to maintain its compressed form when diluted with another material.

The pharmaceutical industry is not alone in its utilization of this odorless, tasteless, white powder. Many foods contain microcrystalline cellulose for stability, especially soups, sauces, and other substances requiring consistent semi-liquid textures. Another use for microcrystalline cellulose is as an anti-caking agent in many products as well as a dietary fiber. Also, whipped toppings and icings sometimes replace fats (as in many reduced-fat foods) with microcrystalline cellulose. As molecular gastronomy increases in popularity, many inventive chefs are turning to Orlando chemical supply companies to purchase microcrystalline cellulose.

At our Orlando chemical supply company, microcrystalline cellulose is just one of the many chemical products we offer. In addition to nutritional chemical products, we stock many hard to find tech-grade chemicals and custom compounds. Our chemicals are used in a wide range of applications such as health and nutrition, personal rare care materials, pharmaceuticals, coatings, and industrial applications. Call us at 407-339-BELL (2355) for a full list of our chemical products.

ontarget 12/16/13 ontarget 12/16/13

Whey, Grade A

As a child, you may have recited the Little Miss Muffet nursery rhyme about the young girl who ate her “curds and whey.” You may have wondered, “what is whey?” When milk is manually separated in the process of making cheese and cottage cheese, a plasma-like solid is produced as well as a watery, yellow serum that rises to the top of the container. This watery substance is whey, while the other portion, with manipulation and heat, eventually becomes cheese.

Until recently, whey was merely a by-product of the cheesemaking process and was traditionally tossed away as refuse. However, later chemical examination proved the usefulness of whey; it is currently used in several industries for a variety of purposes and can be found at an Orlando chemical supply company as well as in grocery and nutrition stores. Whey is distinguished by grades, in that “Grade A” whey is produced with Grade A milk in a Grade A facility.

What was in the chemical composition of whey that caused such a stir in industries? How did whey become such a powerhouse in health and bodybuilding? Along with lactose – milk sugar – and vitamins and minerals, whey contains proteins. In fact, whey contains a significant amount of perfect proteins since it encompasses all the essential amino acids in perfect proportions. Because the demands of weightlifting and an active lifestyle tax the body’s muscles, protein is necessary to maintain and supply proper growth. Many health conscious individuals supplement their diet with whey in the form of a white or cream-colored powder, which is created after the watery portion is removed via precipitation, filtration, or other means. Because it is either tasteless or bland in flavor, whey is easily added to liquids for a healthy, nutritious snack. However, bodybuilders are not the only individuals who benefit from whey. Recent research proves whey may assist in memory retention, reduce cancer rates, improve immunity, and protect the body from dangerous diseases.

Whey has other uses as well. Product developers apply this useful ingredient in baked goods and confections, beverages, dairy and meat products, soups and sauces, salad dressings, etc. Since its humble beginnings as a by-product, researchers are finding new, healthy uses for whey every day.

As a leading Orlando chemical supply company, Bell Chem offers fast delivery of hundreds of chemical products including EDTA. With several seaports located within a few short hours, our Orlando chemical supply company is positioned as the “go to” supplier on a national and international level. To learn more about our products, including Grade A whey, call Bell Chem today at 407-339-2355.

ontarget 10/10/13 ontarget 10/10/13

Potassium Sorbate

Potassium sorbate occurs naturally in a handful of a few varieties of berries, but is more widely recognized in a synthetic form. It is highly soluble in water, at which time its white crystalline powder structure degenerates to sorbic acid and potassium. Potassium sorbate is odorless and tasteless; combined with its high solubility and availability in a wide pH range it is ideal for food and beverage usage. Potassium sorbate inhibits yeast and mold growth, which leads to its widespread use in wineries and food preservative industries, including its addition in cheese and yogurt, dried and processed fruits and meats, and ciders. As you may have noted, many of the products listed in the last sentence have the ability to be stored at room temperature while still maintaining its ability to prevent microbe and mold development; that is indeed one of the strengths of potassium sorbate. This factor gives potassium sorbate ready availability to be added to many personal care products, such as shampoos and lotions, and herbal dietary supplements to extend shelf life by preventing microbial growth, in which case it may be listed as E202.

However, many manufacturers instead choose to coat food exteriors or wax wrappers with potassium sorbate, which will not alter the contents of the food while still offering potassium sorbate’s positive advantages. In wine and other substances, potassium sorbate breaks down into sorbic acid, which deters yeast from proliferating, thereby discouraging additional fermentation.

The next time you drink a glass of wine or eat a fruit-filled yogurt cup, thank potassium sorbate for making your snack enjoyable.

As a leading chemical supply company in Orlando, Bell Chem offers fast delivery of hundreds of chemical products including Potassium sorbate. With several seaports located within a few short hours, our Florida chemical supply company is positioned as the “go to” supplier on a national and international level. To learn more about our products, call Bell Chem today at 407-339-2355.

ontarget 9/24/13 ontarget 9/24/13

Jeffcool P200 (Propylene Glycol, Inhibited)

Propylene glycol, commonly used as a heat transfer fluid in heating, vacuum, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, is often marketed as inhibited, which simply means a corrosion inhibitor has been added to protect many of the metals used in HVAC systems. Jeffcool P200 is the trade name for propylene glycol, inhibited. Inhibited propylene glycol is noncorrosive and safe to use around foods and beverages. Propylene glycol has the chemical formula C3H8O2 and is a viscous liquid with slight opacity and no discernible color, a faintly sweet taste, and a slight odor. The inhibited form of propylene glycol has been found to be a better choice as a coolant for heat transfer systems than brine solutions (a mixture of salt and fresh water), ammonia or water; it improves the capacity to transfer heat while lowering costs to maintain the units. Along with HVAC systems, Jeffcool P200 is also used extensively in the fields of

Beer brewing to cool fermentation tanks, and yeast and beer storage tanks
Winemaking as the cooling medium
Packaged foods in immersion freezing
Frozen foods to defrost cooling coils in freezing tunnels
Snow melting as a heat transfer fluid
Ice rinks as a coolant
Dairy and food industries as a cooling agent
Chemical industry to produce polyurethanes
Food and tobacco industries as a preservative
Pharmaceutical industry as a solvent in oral, topical, and injectable medicines
Aircraft industry as a de-icing fluid
Dog food manufacturing as an additive, and
Carbonated beverage packaging.

Propylene glycol has been used industrially for over fifty years with outstanding results. With its myriad of functions, manufacturers are certain to continue utilizing it for decades to come.

Bell Chem, a checmical supplier in Orlando, offers a wide variety of chemicals for your industry needs. Contact a specialist today to learn more about propylene glycol today.

ontarget 8/8/13 ontarget 8/8/13

Sodium Citrate Dihydrate

Sodium citrate dihydrate (C6H5O7Na3 . 2H2O) is a colorless, odorless granular or powdery buffering agent derived from citric acid. The buffering properties of sodium citrate dihydrate enable its use in the food industry, medical industry, and cleaning industry, among others. In the food industry, sodium citrate dihydrate is utilized as a preservative with a sour taste comparable to citric acid, as well as a salty taste due to the sodium in its chemical makeup. Other applications in the food industry include

pH control – in combination with citric acid – of many foods and beverages due to its buffering properties
flavoring
emulsifying salt used primarily in processed cheese products
anticoagulant of fresh livestock blood in meat products
curing accelerator and, as mentioned previously,
preservative.

The medical industry uses sodium citrate dihydrate as a buffer to control pH in much the same manner it interacts with foods. It is also utilized as an alkalizing agent, an emulsifier, a plugging agent, and a sequestering agent. The buffering properties of sodium citrate dihydrate are used in the treatment of cystitis as well as rapid loss of fluids in the body due to heavy perspiration or intestinal disruptions.

Another common use for sodium citrate dihydrate is in household cleaning products. Its ability to build detergents and its expedient biodegrading ability make sodium citrate dihydrate environmentally advantageous.

As a leading chemical supply company in Orlando, Bell Chem offers fast delivery of hundreds of chemical products including sodium glucoheptonate. With several seaports located within a few short hours, our Florida chemical supply company is positioned as the “go to” supplier on a national and international level. To learn more about our products, call Bell Chem today at 407-339-2355.

ontarget 7/31/13 ontarget 7/31/13

Sodium Glucoheptonate

Sodium glucoheptonate (C7H13NaO8) is an industrial dream cleaner. This light tan, crystalline powder is regularly used to clean industrial tubs at food processing plants as well as dairies and breweries. It is also utilized for paint stripping as a degreaser, for glass cleaning, and aluminum etching. Its ability to chelate metals – reducing adverse effects metals have on systems – and to sequester calcium to keep it from clumping elevate sodium glucoheptonate to a class all its own. Yet there is another side of sodium glucoheptonate. It is also used to mercerize cotton, linen, hemp, and other plant-based fibers to increase strength and add luster to their overall appearance of threads and fabrics. The paper industry prevents iron staining by taking advantage of the chelating effects of sodium glucoheptonate. Leather tanning also relies on sodium glucoheptonate as part of its masking process to inhibit excess precipitation during the chemical processing of the product.

The benefits of sodium glucoheptonate include, but are not limited to

sequestration and/or chelation (“chelation” is derived from the Greek word chele or “crab’s claw” – quite appropriate for a chemical that “grabs” ions!)
stability over a wide pH range
biodegradability, and its
non-hazardous nature