Candelilla wax

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Candelilla wax is a wax derived from the leaves of a small shrub native to northern Mexico and the southwestern United States, Euphorbia cerifera and Euphorbia antisyphilitica, from the family Euphorbiaceae. It is yellowish-brown, hard, brittle and opaque to translucent.

1 Composition
2 Manufacture
3 Uses
4 See also

[edit] Composition

Candelilla wax consists of mainly hydrocarbons (about 50%, chains with 29-33 carbons), esters of higher molecular weight (20-29%), free acids (7-9%), and resins (12-14%, mainly triterpenoid esters). It is insoluble in water, but soluble in many organic solvents (acetone, chloroform, benzene).

[edit] Manufacture

The wax is obtained by boiling the leaves and stems with diluted sulfuric acid and skimmed from the surface and further processed. Its melting point is 67-79 °C. It is mostly used mixed with other waxes to harden them without raising their melting point.

[edit] Uses

As a food additive, candelilla wax has the E number E902 and is used as a glazing agent. It also finds use in cosmetic industry, as a component of lip balms and lotion bars. One of its major uses was a binder for chewing gums.

Candelilla wax can be used as a substitute for carnauba wax and beeswax. It is also used for making varnish.

[edit] See also

Candelilla wax (WHO food additives series 30)

v • d • e E numbers
Colours (E100-199) • Preservatives (E200-299) • Antioxidants & Acidity regulators (E300-399) • Thickeners, stabilisers & emulsifiers (E400-499) • pH regulators & anti-caking agents (E500-599) • Flavour enhancers (E600-699) • Miscellaneous (E900-999) • Additional chemicals (E1100-1599)

Waxes (E900-909) • Synthetic glazes (E910-919) • Improving agents (E920-929) • Packaging gases (E930-949) • Sweeteners (E950-969) • Foaming agents (E990-999)

Dimethyl polysiloxane (E900) • Beeswax (E901) • Candelilla wax (E902) • Carnauba wax (E903) • Shellac (E904) • Paraffins (E905) • Mineral oil (E905a) • Vaseline (E905b) • Microcrystalline wax (E905c) • Gum benzoic (E906) • Crystalline wax (E907) • Rice bran wax (E908)