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Confectioner’s Glaze
Confectioner’s Glaze
Confectioner’s Glaze
What is it:
Confectioner’s glaze, also known as shellac, is a natural resinous substance derived from the excretions of the female lac beetle. It is commonly used as a food glaze and coating for confectionery items such as candies, pills, and other pharmaceutical products. To produce the confectioner’s glaze, the raw resin is harvested from the lac beetles and then processed to remove impurities and other non-resinous materials. The refined shellac is then dissolved in ethanol or another suitable solvent, and the resulting solution is filtered and purified to obtain a clear, glossy glaze. This glaze is then applied to food items to provide a protective and attractive coating, enhancing their appearance and extending their shelf life.
Rating:
The confectioner’s glaze is derived from natural resources but is processed away from its original form. It is primarily used in highly processed foods. Safety data is very outdated on shellac and is limited on the effect it has in humans.
Resources:
- No adverse effects of shellac in rats (animal study)
- PubChem on shellac
- Potential of shellac in the food industry (review)
How we rate ingredients
Health is like a bank account, certain ingredients make a deposit into your health bank, meaning they add to
your health. Certain ingredients withdraw from your health bank. We want health promoting ingredients in our diet. To keep things simple, we rate ingredients on a green, yellow, red scale:
Clean
It is naturally occurring in food and has no harmful effects on the body. It is real food. It is health promoting.
Caution
It goes into one or more of the below categories
- It is not naturally occurring in food but doesn’t have data showing it has a harmful effect on the body (additives like Gellan Gum)
- It is naturally occurring but can have some harmful effects on the body (added sugars, oils, gums etc.)
We Avoid
It is known to have a harmful effect on the body (ex. All food colorings, Natural Flavors, MSG, Potassium bromate, aspartame, artificial flavors)
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