Polysorbate 80

Polysorbate 80 is a viscous (thick), yellow, water-soluble non-ionic surfactant and emulsifier often utilized in the food industry and sold by a food chemical supplier.  Similar to Polysorbate 20 in its initial structure, Polysorbate 80 differs in the number of polyoxyethylene groups (80) attached to the sorbitan monolaurate base.

If you have ever enjoyed a bowl of ice cream, you have undoubtedly consumed Polysorbate 80.  Its power to emulsify foods, or mix two or more ingredients that are traditionally not compatible – such as water and oil – create an ice cream that is smoother, easier to handle, and more resistant to melting.  In the case of ice cream, Polysorbate 80 prevents the proteins in milk from completely coating the milk’s fat droplets, allowing the milk and fat droplets to adhere firmly in a netted pattern that holds in air more readily than it would normally. Along with ice cream, your trusted food chemical supplier can tell you that many other foods contain Polysorbate 80, such as whipped cream, gelatin, shortening, and condiments.  Also, almost every processed food contains Polysorbate 80.

Foods are not the only place you will find this substance, however.  The pharmaceutical industry finds Polysorbate 80 indispensable in emulsifying liquid mixtures to give proper dosages with each prescription.  Influenza and HPV vaccines, heart medications, contraceptives, and anti-cancer treatments all contain Polysorbate 80 to give exact measurements of the medication needed to treat a disease or illness.  Vitamins, tablets, and supplements also contain Polysorbate 80 because of its preservative nature.

The solubility of Polysorbate 80 allows it to assist in dissolving ingredients that would remain solid under normal circumstances.  Liquid and solid soaps, creams, and bath gels take advantage of this behavior to create an even distribution of oils and fragrances.  In cosmetics, the surfactant action of Polysorbate 80 gives a creamier, more appealing look to make-up.

In the laboratory, Polysorbate 80 acts as a lipase (a catalyst that dissolves lipid molecules); therefore it is used to identify the phenotype of an isolate by causing a distinct color change in a mixture.

For additional information, or to purchase Polysorbate 80, contact the Florida food chemical distributor, Bell Chem. We’re located in Orlando and can be reached at (407) 339-BELL.

Polysorbate 20

Polysorbate 20 has various roles in biotechnical, pharmaceutical, personal care, industrial, and domestic uses.  It acts as an emulsifier to bind ingredients securely together; for instance, it impedes oils from separating from water.  Another function is as a surfactant, or a substance that reduces a liquid’s surface tension, thereby acting as a dispersing agent.  This ability allows foods to become easier to spread more evenly, either within a liquid or atop a solid surface.  These two functions – surfactant and emulsifier – give Polysorbate 20 the dual uses of industrial cleaner and personal care product ingredient. Among other locations, Polysorbate 20 can be found at a personal raw care materials supplier.

• Biotechnical - Biotechnological applications of Polysorbate 20 are many and varied, ranging from use as a washing agent in immunoassays to prevent non-specific antibody binding; to saturating surface binding sites; to lysing animal cells; and to solubilizing membrane proteins within cells.

• Pharmaceutical - The pharmaceutical industry relies on Polysorbate 20 to act as an excipient in the stabilization of suspensions and emulsions.  This power allows the same amount of liquid or solid to be released with every dosage.

• Personal Care - In the personal care industry, Polysorbate 20, as found at a personal raw care materials supplier, acts as an emulsifier with fragrances or essential oils since it keeps these products from separating once they are combined with water or alcohol.  Mouth drops, for instance, employ the powers of Polysorbate 20 as a wetting agent as well as an emulsifier to evenly spread minty flavor throughout the tablet.

• Industrial Use - Industrial uses for Polysorbate 20 take advantage of its powers to both emulsify and act as a detergent in floor cleaners and other cleaning products.

• Domestic Use - Lastly, philatelists list Polysorbate 20 as their preferred medium to remove the adhesive backing of stamps from envelopes because it does not harm the paper stamp’s integrity.

Polysorbate 20 has a variety of uses and is nonionic and nontoxic.  Its suffix of “20” derives from the amount of ethylene oxide added (the polyoxyethylene) to the base sorbitan monolaurate; in this case, a chain of twenty.

If you have any questions regarding this highly versatile and fully functional substance, contact Bell Chem, a personal raw care materials supplier.  Call us today at (407) 339-BELL.

Dipropylene Glycol

Dipropylene glycol is a liquid that is nearly odorless and completely colorless.  Its boiling point is high while its toxicity level is low.  Dipropylene glycol is a combination of three isomeric chemical compounds; isomers are different combinations of chemical structures of the same molecular formula. Dipropylene glycol (DPG) is available in two different forms: fragrance grade and industrial grade. In its fragrance grade form, the odor is nearly untraceable; industrial grade DPG is practically identical in its chemical properties with less concern placed on odor.  Both can be found at an industrial chemical supplier.

        Dipropylene glycol is often used as an intermediate in chemical reactions for industrial purposes, when purchased from an industrial chemical supplier.  DPG has a variety of uses, including as a:

• Monomer to bind with other molecules, forming a larger molecule called a polymer, or macromolecule.  Polymers are found in various standard structures, from the plastic known as polystyrene to the DNA found in our bodies.

• Polymerization initiator, which induces monomers to form a three-dimensional network with unpaired valence electrons. The unpaired valence electrons seek to bond with other electrons to form longer chains.

• Dispersant, or plasticizer, to enhance the fluidity (plasticity) of a material.  The most widely recognized application of DPG is polyvinyl chloride (PVC).

• Humectant to attract and retain moisture.

• Solvent, or a substance that forms a solution when a solute dissolves within it.

Along with low toxicity, the last two uses, as a humectant and solvent, give dipropylene glycol the ideal chemical makeup to be used in the cosmetology industry.  Many skin and hair-care products, perfumes and lotions contain dipropylene glycol because of these properties as well as its low potential for skin irritation.

A completely unrelated but extremely interesting use of dipropylene glycol is as an ingredient in commercial fog fluid, the hazy smoke that stage performers use in rock bands and magic acts. From the makeup the band applies, to the plastic microphone the performers use, and the smoke emanating from the stage, DPG rocks!

Learn more about the properties and uses of dipropylene glycol with Bell Chem, a leading industrial chemical supplier.  Call us today at (407) 339-BELL.

Sucralose

Table sugar, or sucrose, is the traditional sweetener you will find in the average household kitchen.  The ingestion of sucrose rapidly produces a spike in blood glucose levels, making it extremely difficult for individuals with diabetes to use since they must closely monitor their carbohydrate intake.  Sucralose, on the other hand, is an artificial sweetener derived from table sugar that can be purchased from a food chemical distributor. Because its structure differs from traditional table sugar, the human body is unable to break it down into smaller molecules; therefore, it passes through the digestive system intact, without causing a blood sugar spike.  For this reason, sucralose is an extremely important chemical for those with blood sugar disorders.

Unlike sucrose, which contains 16 calories per teaspoon, sucralose is calorie-free, giving those watching their caloric intake reason to celebrate. At a rate of 300-1000 times sweeter than sucrose, only a small amount is necessary to sweeten a large product.  When used in cooking or baking, sucralose is usually combined with a bulking agent to give it the texture and volume of table sugar.  Recipes calling for sugar can easily substitute a portion or the entire amount with sucralose to decrease the amount of calories per serving.

Because sucralose contains no calories, it does not promote tooth decay.  For this reason, sucralose is often added to gum and sugar-free candy to enhance the flavor without harming the enamel of teeth.  Many major food manufacturers are now purchasing sucralose from a food chemical distributor to make their products low-calorie and safe for those with blood sugar issues. Sucralose is found in baked goods, dairy products, canned fruit, nutritional products, diet soft drinks, and many products labeled as “sugar free” or “reduced sugar” (sucralose added to another sugar source reduces the amount of sugar necessary to sweeten a product, which, in turn, lowers the caloric intake per serving).

Sucralose is stable in most pH conditions and is extremely heat stable.  Both of these qualities give sucralose excellent advantages for cooking and baking. Sucralose is often manufactured in a granular form, which include fillers to promote a likeness to table sugar; or in a sucralose-water blend when distributed in bulk.

If you have any questions about sucralose and its many uses, contact Bell Chem, a trusted food chemical distributor.  Call us today at (407) 339-BELL.

Dicalite (Diatomaceous Earth)

Diatomaceous earth is almost a misnomer since no earth is involved in its structure.  Instead, diatoms are the only component of this functional filler.  Unlike other marine animals whose exoskeletons are calcium-based, diatoms are tiny sea-dwelling phytoplankton whose hard, outer shells are comprised of silica.  These shells range in size from microscopic to macroscopic, and much like snowflakes, no two are alike.  Structures may resemble rods, crescents, polygons, disks, hemispheres, et cetera.  These non-specific exoskeletons give diatoms the ability to interlace and overlay each other in a stiff, three-dimensional matrix, thereby reinforcing and improving diatomaceous earth’s structural durability.  Another positive aspect of these differentiated shells is the low-density filler (nearly the lowest density of any mineral filler) they create which is highly absorptive, creating a lightweight filler with a sponge-like capacity to soak up liquid.  Dicalite is one of the best-known--and safest--water treatment chemicals available today.

        Dicalite, or diatomaceous earth (D.E.) is a fine, white to off-white powder with an abrasive feel.  The abrasion leads to several of its uses – as an ingredient in toothpaste, facial scrubs, and metal scrubbers.  Dicalite has a myriad of uses. It is used in the manufacture of plastics and rubber as a filler, in cat litter, as a thermal insulator, and as a stabilizing component in dynamite.  As a matter of fact, Alfred Nobel added D.E. to nitroglycerine in 1866 to create the first application of dynamite.  D.E. also played another role in history when it was used as a water treatment chemical and filter during the horrendous cholera outbreak in Hamburg in 1892.

Filtering is one of diatomaceous earth’s greatest feats.  Swimming pool filters use Dicalite because of its high porosity, and chemists use D.E. to filter extremely fine particles that would pass through traditional filter paper.  Water treatment chemical plants, fish tanks, and wine and beer tankards also rely on Dicalite for filtration purposes.  Its ability to filter without altering color, taste, or nutritional properties makes it ideal for filtering foodstuffs.  Its absorbency leads to environmental capabilities: oil and toxic liquid spill cleanup.  Because it is not harmful to small animals (and it is comprised of small animals), diatomaceous earth is trusted by environmental groups as well as homeowners. From cleaning an ocean to its use as kitty litter, D.E. is an animal-friendly and versatile product.

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

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.

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.

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!

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.