Food & Bakery Industry Summary

The food and bakery industry was nonexistent in the early 1800s since 95% of families lived in rural areas and made these items from scratch. The Industrial Revolution moved 40% of the United States’ population to cities, and the method of feeding America changed drastically. Mass production of food involved a new line of chemical preservatives, which increased production and shelf life – and profits for manufacturers. The Food and Drug Act of 1906 focused on the role of the government in the chemical composition of the item consumed by Americans. World Wars I and II enticed Americans to eat fresh foods to give soldiers the preserved foods they needed. When the soldiers arrived home, the food industry ran dry on its market for preserved food, so it touted preserved foods as what was prepared and served by the most affluent households.The food & reagent product supplier Bell Chem stocks many preservatives for the food and bakery industry to extend shelf life and make foods safer to eat.

With the first Dietary Guidelines for Americans created by the US Departments of Agriculture and Health and Human Services in 1980, foods and baked goods began adding nutrients to their products to meet the health conscious needs of the general public and the more stringent guidelines prompted by the Dietary Guidelines.

• Preservatives, such as citric acid, malic acid, and potassium benzoate keep foods fresh longer, which extends shelf life.

• Adding nutrients meets the healthy guidelines by the USDA. Bell Chem supplies its customers with whey, tartaric acid, and dipotassium phosphate to meet that need.

• Food ingredients, such as double acting baking powder, sugar, whey, sodium bicarbonate #1, and cornstarch are stocked in bulk at Bell Chem.

Today, the food and bakery industry is marketing whole foods and products with fewer or more natural ingredients. The chemical basis for the preservatives and additives have changed along with this push, and Bell Chem has met the challenge with the latest in recommendations and customer needs. Contact Bell Chem at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to learn about their vast array of supplements the food & reagent product supplier of Central Florida stocks for the food and bakery industry as well as its line of personal care, sanitation, and water treatment chemicals.

Citrus Industry Summary

Florida’s subtropical climate is ideal for growing citrus during the hotter months and harvesting them from September through June. The most prominent citrus fruits are oranges and grapefruit, which grow in dozens of delicious varieties. Citrus is not native to Florida, believe it or not. It arrived early in the 16th century with Spanish explorers who planted orange trees near St. Augustine and began to grow commercially in the 19th century when railroads made it possible to ship citrus fruits across the country. It did not take long for citrus growers to recognize the importance of applying chemicals and fertilizers to their crops to increase production. The citrus industry welcomed Bell Chem and their sister company, Safe Chem, two decades ago to provide the ultimate chemicals, such as  CSAN Cleaning and Sanitation products, and practices to use those products safely. The sanitation product supplier, Bell Chem, keeps abreast of the latest trends and difficulties facing citrus growers and offer products to ensure the best crops possible.

• Top producing crops in Florida include oranges, grapefruits, and a category known as specialty fruits – tangerines, tangelos, and many cross-breeds.

• The unprecedented freeze over the winter of 1894 destroyed a significant percentage of citrus crops. Growers regrouped and moved their produce from North Central Florida to locations farther south. Within 15 years production was back on track, and 2/3 of Florida’s peninsula is now commercially viable for citrus growth.

• Surprisingly, the top citrus-producing county in Florida is Polk County, located in Central Florida.

Growing citrus takes well drained, deep soil because citrus roots do not enjoy being saturated. Soil should be at a pH of 6-8 on average. Citrus do not appreciate high salt content in the ground. To produce the best possible fruit, ensure your soil is slightly nitrogen rich or use a balanced NPK (nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium) fertilizer. Most citrus trees benefit from the trace elements found in fertilizers, such as magnesium, manganese, iron, copper, zinc, and boron. Bell Chem stocks many of these products for industrial citrus growers.

The citrus industry relies on herbicides, fungicides, and pesticides to keep their plants healthy and productive. Without these products, a tree containing a deadly fungus could infect the entire orchard, causing a complete shutdown of production, or, even more devastating, the destruction of every tree. Many of the products stocked by the sanitation product supplier Bell Chem, such as caustic potash 45% and urea form the basis of the chemicals used by citrus tree farmers in treating their crops. Contact Bell Chem at 407-339-2355 (BELL) for a complete listing of all our citrus industry products to keep your trees thriving. Our blogs detail many of these chemicals for a more in-depth understanding of their functions.

Tru-Flo Food Grade Salt

Salt has founded and ruined civilizations, started wars, acted as currency, and preserved foods for centuries. The human body requires salt in order to function properly. Not every grade of salt is the same, though, and not all salts are edible. Tru-Flo® food grade salt is of high purity and used for flavoring foods, preserving canned goods, curing meats, and acts as a carrier for nutrients. Food grade salt contains over 99% sodium chloride (NaCl) with only a tiny fraction of insoluble material. Crystal size is uniform to give the same amount of taste with every use and to dissolve evenly and quickly. Along with Tru-Flo® food grade salt, the food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, stocks several grades of salt for commercial and food grade uses.

• Food preservation: Salt was used almost exclusively to preserve food before refrigeration. Today, many products, such as beef jerky or other dried meats, still rely on salt as the ultimate preservative.
• Seasoning: The human body craves salt. Humans consume approximately 12 million tons of salt annually. The World Health Organization’s dietary guidelines state that the average person should limit salt intake to 5 grams a day, but our taste buds associate salt as one of the main five components of flavor; therefore, humans take in far more than what is recommended.
• Carrier: Salt acts as a carrier for nutrients or food additives, such as iodine or nitrite. Iodized salt prevents gout and other thyroid conditions, and nitrite is utilized as part of the curing process. Fluoride, iron, vitamins and supplements are frequently added in conjunction with salt’s extra nutrients to stabilize them and ensure amounts are equal throughout the mixture.

Tru-Flo® food grade salt may be obtained from the sea, natural brine, or on land from underground rock salt deposits. Any of these locations will produce the free-flowing, small-grained salt consumers appreciate for their dietary needs. Contact your food ingredient supplier Bell Chem at 407-339-2355 (BELL) for information on food grade salt and the other pure food additives we carry. Our blog page of chemicals will give more detailed product information for you to read.

Sodium Hypochlorite 10-12%

Chances are excellent that if you look in your home or business cabinet right now you will find sodium hypochlorite 10-12%. Chances are also excellent you recognize this chemical by its more common name when it contains water as its solvent, liquid bleach. Customers of Bell Chem, the Florida Chemical Supplier, understand the importance of sodium hypochlorite as a bleaching agent and disinfectant.

• Bleaching: Sodium hypochlorite, with the chemical formula NaClO, breaks up and removes mold, tannins (found in plants and plant-based beverages such as tea), and in endodontics to remove fluorosis stains on teeth. Laundry detergents contain sodium hypochlorite to brighten white clothing.
• Disinfecting: As an antimicrobial, healthcare and laboratories find sodium hypochlorite ideal to stop the growth of bacteria, viruses, and other microbes. When used after a detergent is applied and removed, sodium hypochlorite acts as a disinfectant for body fluids, including blood. The application of a detergent and disinfectant deters the survival of most viruses and biological microbes.
• Deodorizing: The microbes that produce noxious odors are no match for sodium hypochlorite. This gives sodium hypochlorite properties to deodorize as it disinfects.
• When combined with a more viscous fluid, sodium hypochlorite is able to adhere to surface for a longer stretch of time, allowing a more thorough cleaning before being rinsed.
• Food processing facilities and food prep areas can be sanitized with a weak solution of sodium hypochlorite as long as the area contacting food is able to drain sufficiently before usage, according to the USFDA.
• Water treatment systems find sodium hypochlorite perfect for treating toxic waste, removing the toxicity to safe levels. Sodium hypochlorite also controls bacterial and other biological growth that contaminates water systems, pulp mills, and paper mills.

Sodium hypochlorite is used industrially around the world. With its ability to be used at different concentrations for myriad applications, every business should stock some form of sodium hypochlorite. Bell Chem’s sodium hypochlorite 10-12% can be used full strength or diluted. Contact the Florida Chemical Supplier, Bell Chem, at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to speak with one of our representatives concerning this or any other industrial chemical. Check out our blogs for all your chemical and nutritional needs.

Glycol Ether EB

Ethylene glycol monobutyl ether, more commonly known as glycol ether EB, butoxyethanol, or 2-Butoxyethanol, is an organic compound with the chemical formula BuOC2H4OH with a sweet odor reminiscent of its family line of ethers. Customers of the industrial chemical supplier, Bell Chem, have found glycol ether EB useful as a surfactant in the home, in businesses, and industrially. Considering 200-500 kilotons of glycol ether are produced annually, chances are your business depends on this United States high-production volume chemical (a chemical whose production exceeds 100 kilotons a year) to keep it running smoothly.

• Glycol ether’s unique chemical structure of an alcohol and an ether give it hydrophobic and water soluble properties.
• With over 300 types of glycol ethers, customers are able to select the appropriate chemical with the flame resistance, solubility, and volatility they require.
• As a solvent, glycol ether is an ingredient in many coatings, including latex paints, resins, lacquers, varnishes, and enamels.
• Foam in fire extinguishers, oil spill dispersants, asphalt release products, degreasers, and varnish removers are a wide array of products that use glycol ether EB as a solvent.
• Many cleaners and protectants contain glycol ether as an ingredient, including leather buffers, whiteboard cleaners, liquid hand and body soap, and dry cleaning solutions. In fact, glycol ether EB is the prime ingredient in hundreds of cleaning solutions used worldwide because of its ability to break down both hydrophilic and hydrophobic particles.
• The USFDA has deemed glycol ether appropriate for use directly and indirectly within the food industry as an ingredient in adhesives, antimicrobial agents, defoamers, and stabilizers.
• The petroleum industry relies on glycol ether EB as a drilling stabilizer, oil slick dispersant, and in water-based and oil-based fracturing fluids. Glycol ether lowers the surface tension of products, stabilizing fluids pumped under extremely high pressures. As a dispersant, it prevents congealing, which aids in the release of gas.

Thousands of industries rely on glycol ether EB. Your business can undoubtedly use it as a safe, effective dispersant and solvent as well. Contact the industrial chemical supplier, Bell Chem, today at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to speak with one of our representatives concerning glycol ether EB or any of our other industrial chemicals. Our blogs contain information on chemicals and food additives, including nutritional supplements, personal care ingredients, sanitation chemicals, and technical-grade chemicals.

Sodium Benzoate EDF Food Grade

Sodium benzoate (C7H5NaO2) is the sodium salt of benzoic acid. In the form sodium benzoate EDF food grade, this chemical is a common food additive and preservative used in several industries, including food and beverage, cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceutical, and medical. Because it is colorless, odorless, highly soluble, and compatible with other ingredients, manufacturers turn to sodium benzoate for their preservation needs. The “EDF” nomenclature demarks an Extruded Dust-Free grade. As a food-grade chemical, sodium benzoate is safe for use in foods or within food manufacturing areas. Bell Chem, the Orlando food ingredient supplier, carries sodium benzoate EDF food grade for its clients to use in any of these important industries. Below are only a few of the uses of sodium benzoate within food and pharmaceutical production and manufacturing industries.

1. Food and Beverages: Foods that list sodium benzoate as a preservative include margarine, jelly, cereal, pasta, salad dressings and prepared salads, baked goods, grain products, pickles, syrup, and other packaged foods. In beverages, the preservative qualities of sodium benzoate are used to maintain carbonation in soft drinks and to extend shelf life of orange juice, cider, and other juices.
2. Cosmetics and Personal Care: Sodium benzoate has a proven antifungal and antimicrobial quality that works well in skin cream, lotion, gum, toothpaste, mouthwash, and deodorants.
3. Pharmaceutical and Medical: The antifungal and antimicrobial focus of sodium benzoate EDF is ideal for dermatological creams and ointments, anti-aging products, dietary supplements, cough syrup, medicine in tablet form, and topical treatments for lice and scabies. Sodium benzoate may also be used as an insect repellent.

Whether your product is sealed in a pressurized jar or on display in a glass deli case, sodium benzoate EDF food grade can maintain the texture and appearance of food, cosmetics, or medicinal supplements while preventing spoilage with its antimicrobial and antifungal qualities. Contact the Orlando food ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to order sodium benzoate EDF food grade today. For an in-depth look at many of our food grade, industrial, pharmaceutical, or citrus industry chemicals, feel free to visit our informative news page.

BC EDTA-100

Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) has a proven record of aiding in the protection of water treatment pipes and equipment. Bell Chem, the water treatment chemical supplier you can trust in Central Florida, carries this chemical for its ability to effectively sequester metals within pipes.

Deposition is a fact of life for water treatment plants. Water purity determines the likelihood of deposits left within the boilers and other portions of the feed lines. When feedwater contains even the slightest amount of impurity, the possibility of buildup along any metal surface is almost guaranteed.

Contaminants common in feedwater include metals (magnesium, copper, iron, aluminum), nonmetals (calcium and silica), silt, and oil. These categories are identified as either scale or sludge. Scale is formed by salt crystals that adhere to surfaces while sludge precipitates outside the water treatment system and is transported to the metal surface of the treatment system by means of incoming water.

Scale formations are soluble until they concentrate due to the high heat transfer rates that drive evaporation. Because the crystalline structure of scale is homogeneous, different areas of scale may have completely different chemical compositions and require varied methods of removal. Both metals (magnesium, aluminum, and iron) and nonmetals (calcium, silica, and occasionally sodium) can create scale. Scale forms extremely slowly, which causes the buildup to be hard, dense, and well defined, giving scale the ability to withstand most mechanical and chemical cleaning.

Sludge deposits may also prove to be dense, hard, and difficult to remove, especially after exposure to extreme heat levels, which bakes the sludge onto the surface of the water treatment equipment. Baked sludge is similar to scale in its tenaciousness.

Once either sludge or scale forms inside a facility, the chemical contaminants attract like chemicals. This results in larger and larger patches of affected metal. These accumulations inside pipes can significantly increase water pressure because the diameter of the pipes diminishes, causing overheating and, especially with salts, corrosion. Removing scale and sludge results in facility downtime.

EDTA acts to chelate every known metal on the periodic table. When metals are sequestered by EDTA, they lose a portion of their reactivity to each other and any other ions, rendering them nearly passive. As a water treatment chemical, EDTA is generally a colorless, water-soluble solid marketed as disodium EDTA or calcium disodium EDTA. Adding EDTA to water filtration systems greatly reduces scale and sludge, thereby decreasing unscheduled maintenance and replacement of equipment.

The water treatment chemical supplier experts at Bell Chem stock BC EDTA-100 knowing its importance in keeping water facilities online and running smoothly. Contact Bell Chem today at 407-339-2355 (BELL) to inquire about EDTA and their other water treatment chemicals. Our news page has a generous offering of our line of chemicals for industrial use.

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.

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.

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).