Glycerin is an organic compound composed of carbon, hydrogen and oxygen
Its chemical formula is C3H8O3
It is an industrial production, usually soap production, from the by-product of grease
In addition to animal fat, there are plant glycerin processed from plants
In fact, raw materials do not affect the chemical properties of the final product, but because glycerin is widely used in food and medicine, this difference is important for vegetarians
Its common uses include food sweeteners and ingredients of beauty products
The compound is made up of a chain of three carbon atoms, one connected to hydrogen and the other to hydroxyl (OH)
The three hydroxyl groups form a hydrogen bond between the molecules, giving the compound syrup viscosity and making it easier to dissolve in water
From a chemical point of view, glycerin is an alcohol, but not for food purposes
It is classified as a carbohydrate by the food and Drug Administration in the United States because it provides calories and is not fat or protein
Pure glycerin is not easy to crystallize, but it can cool to form a solid and melt at 18 ℃
It can reduce the freezing point of water, but the effect depends on the concentration
For example, the freezing point of 66.7% solution is - 46.1 ℃
For this reason, it can be used in non-toxic antifreeze, and in laboratory refrigerators to store sensitive liquids such as enzymes
Glycerin forms the skeleton of many lipids, oils or fats, and there are many ways to extract it from these substances
Most glycerin is processed from the by-product of soap production
In this process, animal fat or vegetable oil can be used
It is heated with a strong alkali, usually caustic soda (sodium hydroxide), which produces soap and Glycerin Solutions in water
The solution is then distilled and purified
Vegetable glycerin can be produced directly from vegetable oil, often coconut or palm oil, which is heated at high temperature under water pressure
The glycerol skeleton is separated from fatty acids, absorbed by water, isolated and distilled to extract the pure product
The purity of edible vegetable oil is 99.7%, and the remaining 0.3% is water
Interest in biodiesel fuels has led to the production of large quantities of non edible vegetable glycerin
Purification of this liquid is not cost-effective and cannot be handled casually because it contains toxic methanol
In 2013, many studies were looking for the use of this substance, and one study found that it has the possibility of being used to produce useful plastics
Glycerin is widely used in the food industry for two main reasons: it has a sweet taste, but its calories are lower than sugar; it absorbs moisture and can absorb moisture from the air
Therefore, it can be used in sweet food and keep moist
This compound metabolizes slower than sucrose, so it has no significant effect on blood glucose levels
It also does not promote bacteria to corrode teeth
Low carbohydrate foods on the market are usually sweetened with glycerin
Another major use of glycerin is in the beauty industry
Due to its hygroscopic properties, it is often used in a variety of moisturizing skin care products, because it can alleviate skin dryness
It is also an ingredient of glycerin soap and is suitable for sensitive skin
Vegetable glycerin can be used as an alternative to ethanol, a chemical commonly known as alcohol
It is also used as a solvent for plant raw materials
There are also some medical uses for vegetable glycerin
For example, it is a common ingredient in cough medicine because of its soothing effect
Other uses include topical remedies for skin diseases, such as psoriasis, rashes, burns and bedsore wounds
As a cathartic, it is a form of suppository; in addition, it can be used to treat gum disease.
