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Medical Uses of Urea
Although urea (or carbamide) is a common chemical in the epidermis, most urea utilized medically and pharmaceutically is synthesized in laboratories. Urea is considered a natural moistening factor when produced by the body, and the synthetic alternative enhances the body’s natural ability to moisturize. Urea has further uses in medicine, however, and USP ingredient supplier Bell Chem would like you to be more aware of them.
Dry Skin Alleviator
When water is lost in the epidermis, the result is dry skin. Typical dry or itchy skin symptoms may be alleviated with a topical lotion, but many disorders – including callused areas, corns, diaper rash, onychomycosis, psoriasis, and xerosis – necessitate a more powerful treatment regimen that often includes urea. As a humectant, urea captures moisture from the air as well as the tissues below the epidermis to provide relief from excessively dry skin.
Ear Drops
The buildup of cerumen (ear wax) is alleviated with ear drops containing urea, which break down cerumen for easier evacuation.
Exfoliator
Urea is a keratolytic agent. Keratin tends to adhere dead skin cells together, which may lead to fungal infections. Urea breaks keratin into smaller areas, releasing dead skin cells and the propensity of fungal infections. Generally, medications containing 10% or greater urea are effective exfoliators. For more significant exfoliation, ointments with 40% urea are recommended for nail removal, such as for cases of onychomycosis.
Sodium Adjuster
If a patient’s blood sodium levels are elevated, urea may be used to bring the pH back into balance.
Medication Distribution
Topical medications, such as antifungal creams or corticosteroids are better penetrated into the skin with urea. Additionally, the keratolytic effect of urea aids in wound healing as dead tissue is sloughed away.
Urea Breath Test
Urea tagged with either carbon-13 or -14 can help a doctor determine the presence of the bacterium Helicobacter pylori in the digestive system. H. pylori is associated with ulcers.
Bell Chem is a USP ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including urea. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Benefits of Sunflower Oil in Beauty Products
Check the ingredients on many cosmetics and you are likely to find sunflower oil listed. Pressed from the seeds of sunflowers, this versatile oil is renowned for its gentle properties on almost any skin surface and its marked ability to quickly and easily absorb through the skin’s dermal layer to the underlying connective tissue. Bell Chem, your personal care ingredient supplier, wishes to share the benefits of sunflower oil with you. Chemically, sunflower oil is packed with beneficial chemicals, including the following.
Amino Acids
These small peptides bind to form proteins, giving structure and aiding in the production of collagen, elastin, and other essential proteins leading to smooth, youthful skin.
Antioxidants
When molecules are stripped of an electron, they are known as free radicals. Free radicals can radically change the structure of molecules surrounding them by either binding to or stealing electrons from them. Antioxidants are important in protecting our bodies from free radicals. You can find some of the following antioxidants in sunflower oil:
Vitamin E, which contains readily available electrons that neutralize free radicals
Beta-carotene, which is beneficial in the appearance of healthy skin and converts to vitamin A.
Fatty Acids
Omega 3, Omega 6 (linoleic), and Omega-9 (oleic) monounsaturated fatty acids reduce or prevent localized inflammation, act as antimicrobial agents, and decrease damage from excess sun exposure. Linoleic acid stimulates the development of new skin cells. Oleic acid contains abundant lipids to soothe irritated skin, reduces healing time and inflammation, and hydrates skin. The damage caused by skin diseases, such as eczema and psoriasis, is greatly reduced with oleic acid. As a bonus, oleic acid stabilizes the shelf life of cosmetics.
Vitamins
Along with being rich in amino acids, antioxidants and fatty acids, sunflower oil also contains several vitamins, including the following:
Vitamin C, which stimulates collagen production to reduce or even prevent wrinkles. With vitamins A and D – also present in sunflower oil – vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to counter bacteria responsible for acne.
Vitamin E, which, along with its antioxidant abilities also moisturizes and reduces inflammation by stabilizing moisture within individual skin cells.
Vitamin K, which has a protein elastin that is responsible for maintaining the smooth and elastic quality of skin.
With these bountiful chemical properties, sunflower oil clears pores experiencing accumulations of bacteria, dirt or oil. Because it is non comedogenic, sunflower oil maintains clear and unclogged pores (despite public hesitations regarding oils in skincare). The skin-strengthening properties of sunflower oil keep the skin from cracking, which breaks the natural barrier of the epidermis and can lead to bacterial infections. Sunflower oil appears in myriad products, including lip balms, skin products, hair treatments, and massage oils.
Bell Chem is a personal care ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including sunflower oil. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Glycol Ether Uses Across Industries
Glycol ether has been considered a high-performance industrial solvent since the 1960s. Divided into two categories, ethylene glycol (e-series glycol ethers) is the end result of an ethylene oxide reaction, while propylene glycol (p-series) is derived from propylene oxide. These categories greatly differentiate glycol ether’s uses with e-series glycol ethers used in cosmetics, dyes, pharmaceuticals, skin care products, and water-based paints. P-series glycol ethers are generally used in cleaners and paints. Industrial chemical supplier Bell Chem would like to introduce a few of the many uses of glycol ethers across industries.
Cleaner
Glycol ether’s low toxicity and reduction of surface tension give it key status as a detergent and soap solvent, as it easily removes stubborn build-up. With a fast evaporation rate, items and surfaces are ready to use quickly. Glycol ether can be found in carpet cleaner, floor cleaner, oven cleaner, and window and glass cleaner.
Coalescent
Film integrity increases for latex paints in architectural and industrial maintenance with the addition of glycol ether.
Coating Agent
Amine-solubized water-based coatings benefit from glycol ether’s complete water solubility, decreased evaporation rate, extreme coupling ability, high flash point, and low surface tension. Aerospace, architectural, automotive, coil, and construction industries rely on glycol ether for these abilities.
General Solvent
In agriculture, both herbicides and insecticides benefit from the solvency of glycol ether. Acrylics, alkyds, epoxies, gum, nitrocellulose, perfume, polyesters, and polyurethanes also maintain complete solvency with glycol ether. Glycol ether enhances the glossiness of products and flow-out of lacquers.
Graphic Arts
Glycol ether cures quickly in acrylates, non-ractives, and photoinitiators. When added to ink, it thins the consistency, leading to a lower viscosity ink.
Oil Slick Dispersant
During oil spills, such as the catastrophic Deepwater Horizon oil spill, glycol ether plays a role as an ingredient in an oil slick dispersant. Dispersants act as detergents on oil, breaking the slick into droplet-sized particles to dilute throughout the water.
Rubber Modification
Glycol ether easily infiltrates rubber and plastic products, changing the physical properties of those materials.
Bell Chem is an industrial chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including glycol ether. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
How Soy Lecithin Enhances Beauty Products
Soy lecithin is renowned for its benefits in skincare. This beauty aid’s name (lecithin) is derived from the Greek work lekythos, or egg yolk since French chemist Theodore Gobley first isolated it in 1845 from egg yolk. Soybeans are the major contributor of lecithin, which is why the two words are paired frequently. Chemically, soy lecithin closely resembles the body’s natural phospholipid cellular membrane, so it readily established itself as a natural form of cellular repair. Learn more about personal care ingredient supplier Bell Chem’s soy lecithin below.
Lecithin is composed primarily of Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids (60%-70%) with a smattering of proteins and carbohydrates – the three major components needed by the human body. This unique combination easily transitions from the epidermis to deep within the skin where it metabolizes a reaction to form new skin cells. Here are some of the roles it plays in beauty products:
Antioxidant
By protecting epidermal and dermal cells from oxidation, soy lecithin enhances and increases cell life spans due to its stores of vitamin E. This leads to soy lecithin being a key ingredient in primer and foundations, face cleansers and masks, body lotions, and lip glosses and balms to soothe irritated skin and lips.
Emulsifier
By acting as a stabilizer within an environment of oil and water, soy lecithin binds these two opposing types of molecules together to create a product with equal amounts of ingredients with each use.
Humectant
Soy lecithin’s humectant capabilities maintain hydration in skin cells, which preserves the integrity of skin cells and aids in creating a stronger physical barrier between the body and the atmosphere.
Hydrator
Dehydration can give skin a dull, cracked appearance and cause itching and soreness. Overall, the skin appears uneven in tone and the face’s complexion may appear dull. Acting as a hydration agent, soy lecithin prevents water loss to the epidermal and dermal cells, plumping the cells and restoring an even skin tone with fewer flakes, fine lines, and wrinkles.
Moisturizer
Soy lecithin delays or even counteracts water loss to the environment since it contains both oleic and linoleic acid, which adhere to water molecules. This maintains a healthier level of moisture within the skin. This excess moisture acts as an emollient, softening and smoothing the skin’s surface and beneath by binding with the body’s natural skin protein, keratin.
Nail Care
Dry, brittle nails break and crack, causing undue pain. Soy lecithin’s moisturizing action helps nails retain their structural integrity.
Viscosity Agent
The bonding action of soy lecithin creates a thicker, creamier product for skin care consumers.
Bell Chem is a personal care ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including soy lecithin. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Beta Carotene in the Food Industry
Beta carotenes are renowned for their antioxidant qualities since they are a great source of vitamin A. Beta carotene is considered provitamin A with the capacity of being enzymatically converted to retinol. This important nutrient, stocked by food ingredient supplier Bell Chem, will boost your products and attract more customers.
Where Beta Carotene Comes From
Beta carotene abounds in intensely colored fruits and vegetables, including carrots, sweet potatoes, broccoli, and cantaloupe. As a general rule, the fruits and vegetables with the brightest colors contain the greatest amounts of beta carotene. However, only 2% of beta carotene on the market today is produced naturally. Instead, chemists rely on bacteria, filamentous fungi, microalgae, and yeasts to provide the world with its need for beta carotene.
As a Colorant
In the food industry, beta carotene has played a variety of roles. One of these is as a colorant. The obvious example is a carrot, whose orange flesh is the result of an increased amount of beta carotene. The yellowish orange pigment of beta carotene is utilized frequently as a colorant for margarine and butter, oils, cheese and ice cream, pasta and biscuits, milk replacement products, soups, and eggs, to name a few examples. By changing the amount of beta carotene used, color variations from light yellow to red are achieved, depending on the product
As a Nutritional Supplement
Along with being a natural colorant, beta carotene also has nutritional supplemental properties. Add beta carotene as an antioxidant since the human body is not capable of synthesizing this important nutrient itself; it must rely on supplements or natural foods. In fact, the vitamin A in beta carotene supports eye health by preventing blindness and night blindness, maintaining specific cells in the eye, improving reproductive efficiency, and maintaining skin hue as a natural pigment.
Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including beta carotene. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Zinc Oxide Uses Across Industries
Organic compound zinc oxide (ZnO) is an odorless, gray or white granular solid. While it is insoluble in water, it is readily soluble in both diluted acids and bases. Commercially, zinc oxide is created through high temperature oxidation of zinc or zinc ores. Bell Chem, your USP ingredient supplier, supplies high-quality zinc oxide for its customers, no matter their industry.
Ceramic
The low expansion coefficient of zinc oxide makes it ideal for ceramic manufacturing since it improves ceramic elasticity. In lesser amounts, zinc oxide gives a glossy appearance to ceramics, while greater amounts will show as a matte finish. Use of zinc oxide is more abundant in the ceramic industry than any other industry outside rubber.
Concrete
Zinc oxide’s low expansion coefficient increases the resistance of concrete to water. This binding mechanism allays damage with water infiltrate during temperature fluctuations. Zinc oxide displays high thermal conductivity and stability, similar to the ceramic industry. For this reason, zinc oxide is added to quick-setting cement.
Cosmetics
Along with its starring role in sunscreen, zinc oxide is often added to a wide array of cosmetics to enhance the capacity of the application to adhere to the skin. It also has proven to be both antibacterial and antifungal by destroying the cellular membranes of single-celled organisms.
Glass and Textiles
As an ingredient in pigments, which are used within many textiles, zinc oxide offers a crisp white pigment. When matched with aluminum or gallium, zinc oxide provides sun blocking properties for window coatings.
Pharmaceutical
Zinc oxide is a proven physical sunscreen and skin protectant to deter everything from ultraviolet rays to common microbes from penetrating the skin. Acne medicines, diaper rash ointments, and sunscreens all contain zinc oxide. The amount of sun protective factor (SPF) is based primarily on the percentage of zinc oxide in a sunscreen. If sunburn does occur, zinc oxide reduces the amount of irritation. In fact, zinc builds damaged skin cells, reduces inflammation, and tightens the epidermis.
Rubber
Approximately half of all zinc oxide manufactured is dedicated to the rubber industry to assist in rubber vulcanization, thereby improving the elasticity, strength, and weather resistance of rubber. Therefore, shoes, tires, and even hockey pucks contain zinc oxide.
Semiconductors
Zinc oxide’s heat capacity and thermal conductivity mark it as a desirable semiconductor, especially in dye-sensitive solar cells.
Water Treatment
The antibacterial and antifungal components of zinc oxide clear water as it eliminates reactive oxygen species.
Available in almost any configuration: gel, spray, powder, paste, et cetera, zinc oxide is sure to enhance your industry. Bell Chem is a USP ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including zinc oxide. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
The Industrial Applications of Salt
The ubiquitous shaker next to pepper contains sodium chloride, which adds flavor to your next meal. However, this is just the tip of the iceberg of what salt can do. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem wishes to share the myriad industrial uses of industrial salt, from gas exploration to water treatment.
Cleaning and Safety
As far as chemicals go, salt is about as versatile as it gets. Here are a few of the ways salt is used to promote cleaning and safety across industries:
Detergents: Soaps, detergents, and solvents contain salt as a filler. When several chemicals are present, salt separates the chemicals so they can perform their specific tasks.
Chlorine production: Sodium chloride’s main industrial use is in the production of chlorine, a feedstock for plastics and other chemicals.
Pool maintenance: Pools and spas are more frequently being outfitted with saltwater systems, which gives the same water sanitation as chlorine while reducing chlorine levels.
Water treatment: Salt flocculates calcium and magnesium, which softens water.
Road maintenance: Industrial salt is an inexpensive method for controlling ice or melting ice on roads since it lowers water’s freezing point. As roads are maintained or constructed, salt added to soil binds it more tightly for a firmer surface.
Food and beverage: In processed meats, salt enriches color, controls bacterial growth, binds sausage, and softens meat. For breads and dairy products, salt coordinates fermentation rates and enhances flavor. Flour contains salt to strengthen gluten and heighten flavor.
Manufacturing
Salt tends to show up in unexpected places — even heavy manufacturing. Here are several ways salt is used in manufacturing:
Metallurgy: Metal processing creates abundant impurities. Salt removes the impurities during refining or smelting of aluminum, beryllium, copper, steel, vanadium, and uranium.
Pharmaceuticals: Saline solution obviously contains salt, but so do capsules. Intravenous fluids flowing into the human body often attempt to match the body’s content of saline for ease of dispersal; equalizing IV fluids with normal human saline levels accomplishes this task.
Chemicals: As a feedstock, industrial salt eventually becomes caustic soda, soda ash, sodium sulfate, sodium carbonate, hydrochloric acid, sodium bicarbonate, and chlorine, to name a few.
Oil and gas drilling: Salt increases the density of drilling fluids and soil, which increases safety during the drilling process. Salt behaves as both a coolant and lubricant for the drilling head. Industrial salt also expedites concrete drying and acts as a flocculant to remove impurities.
Rubber synthesizing: In combination with sulfuric acid and water, industrial salt coagulates latex, thereby separating rubber from latex, to create neoprene and white rubber.
Textiles: In a solution with water, salt flocculates contaminants to cleanse and purify textile fibers. Industrial salt increases the uptake of dyes, acts as a filler for pigments, and is used as a grinding agent. Salt is used in the production of glass and polyester.
Solar power: Industrial salt acts as a catalyst for many ionic reactions in the production of solar energy.
Tanning: Salt reduces moisture and bacteria in the leather working process.
Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including industrial salt. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
How Aluminum Sulfate is Used
Aluminum sulfate (Al2(SO4)3), a compound of aluminum, oxygen, and sulfur, usually presents as a powdery, granular, or crystalline solid and is known commercially as “alum.” Tracing back its history, aluminum sulfate was present when Egyptians found it useful for dyeing textiles. Since then, dozens of other uses have broadened the scope of aluminum sulfate’s commercial use. Bell Chem, your industrial chemical supplier, wants you to recognize the importance of aluminum sulfate.
Textile Processing
One benefit of using aluminum sulfate is its versatility in the production of textiles. Here are a few examples of ways aluminum sulfate helps with textile processing:
Tanning
Animal hides transform into leather when a combination of aluminum sulfate, sodium chloride, sodium carbonate, and flour are rubbed into the hide repeatedly.
Dyeing
When water is combined with aluminum sulfate, the resulting sludge of aluminum hydroxide acts as a mordant: it causes dyes to absorb into textiles much more rapidly. As a bonus, adding aluminum sulfate during the dyeing process causes textiles to become water insoluble, or colorfast, meaning that the colors will not bleed or seep with excess washings.
Paper Manufacturing
Aluminum sulfate removes impurities in water during pulp making. Its pH neutralizes ionic charges, aids in binding materials, and, when combined with rosin soap, changes paper absorbency to create a product more likely to absorb ink.
Safety and Filtration
Aluminum sulfate doesn’t just aid in the manufacturing of useful everyday products; it can also help make us safer. Here are a few safety uses for the chemical:
Wastewater Treatment
Aluminum sulfate’s largest use is in water treatment plants, where it acts as a flocculant. As impurities clump, they descend to the base of the container and are filtered out.
Fire Control
Aluminum sulfate, combined with sodium bicarbonate and a foam stabilizer, produces carbon dioxide in fire extinguishing foams.
Lawn and Garden Care
The pH of aluminum sulfate acts as a detriment to algal growth; therefore, it is often utilized in freshwater recreation areas. In commercial gardens where soil pH levels are basic, adding aluminum sulfate increases pH to levels more conducive to the growth of the majority of plants.
Food and Drug Manufacturing
Aluminum sulfate has many uses across industries, but the ones that affect us the most day-to-day are those in the food and medical fields. Here are several examples of ways aluminum sulfate is used in food and drug manufacturing:
Food and Beverage Industry
Water-soluble aluminum sulfate is frequently used by commercial kitchens as a thickener and emulsifier. Carbonated beverages enjoy the addition of aluminum sulfate for remineralization and clarity. As a main component of baking soda and baking powder, aluminum sulfate is renowned for its ability to leaven breads and baked goods. Aluminum sulfate, as a thickening agent, helps to curdle many types of cheese.
Medical Field
Small abrasions and skin lacerations are quickly remedied with a styptic pencil, which is generally a form of aluminum sulfate. It also has deodorizing properties since its low pH stanches bacterial growth. In a solution, aluminum sulfate precipitates protein antigens; in turn, these antigens improve vaccine immunity. Aluminum sulfate is also an ingredient in ear drops.
Bell Chem is an industrial chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including aluminum sulfate. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
Where Dibasic Ester May Be a Safer Alternative
Dibasic ester – also referred to as DBE, dimethyl ester, or DME – is often understood to be a better, safer alternative than other solvents. Bell Chem, your industrial chemical supplier, explains why your company should invest in clear, colorless, low-odor dibasic esters for your solvent needs.
Low Vapor Pressure and High Flash Point
Dibasic esters have an extremely slow evaporation rate, which complies with volatile organic compounds (VOC) regulations. This feature allows dibasic esters the ability to be recycled for multiple applications. Dibasic ester is also much less likely than other chemicals to combust. Less flammability equates to a safer product.
Biodegradable
The environment is a foremost concern for many companies. Knowing DBE biodegrades into environmentally friendly by-products while remaining cost-effective helps solidify its place in many forward-thinking businesses.
Health
DME is not only environmentally friendly; it is people friendly. Dibasic ester is considered non-carcinogenic, non-corrosive, and non-hazardous. It is also on the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) list of safer chemicals.
Varied Formulations
Dimethyl ester combines several chemicals, namely dimethyl adipate, dimethyl glutarate, and dimethyl succinate. Depending on your application, these ingredients can be manipulated for the perfect custom blend for your use. For example, it can be used as a solvent with a strong capacity to strip paint with a slower evaporation rate than other chemicals. Some formulations can also be greener than others.
Uses of Dibasic Ester
Dibasic esters have the ability to dissolve polar substances (such as polyester, resins and polyurethane), inks, and coatings. A few examples of products containing DBEs are insecticides and pesticides, automotive coatings, paints, epoxy sealers, cleaners, corrosion inhibitors, drilling fluids, and soil stabilizers. Almost any other solvent can be substituted with a dibasic ester.
If your company is in the market for a solvent that’s friendly to the environment, equipment, and your workforce, dibasic ester is your answer. If your company wants a solvent to dissolve hardened residues, form a coalescent, dissolve at different rates, and create plasticizers for polymer systems such as PVC with ease, your answer, once again, is dibasic ester.
Bell Chem is an industrial chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including dibasic ester. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.
The Many Ways Phosphoric Acid is Used in Food Production
Phosphoric acid, also known as orthophosphoric acid, is a weak acid with a sour flavor but no odor or color. It is viscous when sold in liquid form and crystalline as a solid. Although it is sought after in many industries, phosphoric acid has a variety of uses in food and beverage production. Bell Chem, your food ingredient supplier, shares many methods phosphoric acid improves the foods we consume.
Improves Food Quality
As a weak acid, phosphoric acid is often added to amend pH levels to improve product properties. It also makes products last longer. Bacteria and mold thrive in sugary foods and beverages. Phosphoric acid inhibits microbial growth, which increases shelf life. When added to processed meat (luncheon meats, sausage, bacon, et cetera), phosphoric acid stabilizes the texture of processed meats and increases shelf life.
Additive
A list of ingredients on a package may show dicalcium phosphate, hexametaphosphate, sodium phosphate, or tricalcium phosphate. All these additives are derived from phosphoric acid plus other chemicals or ingredients.
Flavor Enhancer
In dark carbonated beverages (clear sodas tend to rely on citric acid) and jams, phosphoric acid accentuates a product’s sharp, tangy taste because of its acidity and fruity flavor.
Nutrient
Phosphoric acid acts as a food source for yeast, and is often employed as an ingredient to leaven baked goods. Baking soda plus phosphoric acid and a second acid create baking powder. This nutrient is also helpful in alcoholic beverages. As wine is aged, phosphoric acid feeds yeast as it quells bacterial growth.
Protein Modifier
Especially in dairy products, phosphoric acid salts chemically modifies the protein structure increasing the likelihood of coagulation. Examples include cream cheese, hard cheese and buttermilk. The cheese industry has determined that phosphoric acid outstrips most other acids in its ability to firm hard cheeses. This additive is also used in foods and beverages touting high protein levels, which generally contain whey, a basic chemical. As a weak acid, phosphoric acid balances the pH of the product while enhancing flavor.
Bell Chem is your food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including phosphoric acid. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.