Glazing agent

A glazing agent is a natural or synthetic substance that provides a waxy, homogeneous, coating to prevent water loss from a surface and provide other protection.^[1]

Differences between natural and synthetic glazing agents

Natural

Natural glazing agents have been found, usually in plants or insects. In nature, the agents are used to keep the moisture in the organism, but science has harnessed this characteristic by turning it into a glazing agent that acts as a coating. The glazing agent is made up of a substance that is classified as a wax. A natural wax is chemically defined as an ester with a very long hydrocarbon chain that also includes a long chain alcohol. However, in a wax there have been many different chemical structures that can be included in a definition of a wax, such as: wax esters, sterol esters, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols, hydrocarbons, and sterols.^[2]

Examples are:

• Stearic acid (E570)
• Beeswax (E901)
• Candelilla wax (E902)
• Carnauba wax (E903)
• Shellac (E904)
• Microcrystalline wax (E905c), Crystalline wax (E907)
• Lanolin (E913)
• Oxidized polyethylene wax (E914)
• Esters of colophonium (E915)
• Paraffin

Synthetic

Science has produced glazing agents that mimic their natural counterparts. These components are added in different proportions to achieve the optimal glazing agent for a product.^[3] Such products include cosmetics, automobiles and food.^[4][5][6]

• Some of the characteristics that are looked for in all of the above industries are:
  • 1. Preservation - the glazing agent must protect the product from degradation and water loss. This characteristic can lead to a longer shelf life for a food or the longevity of a car without rusting.^[7]
  • 2. Stability - the glazing agent must maintain its integrity under pressure or heat.^[8]
  • 3. Uniform viscosity - this ensures a stronger protective coating that can be applied to the product as a homogeneous layer.
  • 4. Industrial reproduction - because most glazing agents are used on commercial goods and therefore large quantities of glazing agent may be needed.

There are different variations of glazing agents, depending on the product, but they are all designed for the same purpose.

References

1. Shinohara, Seigo; et al. "Water-repellent glazing agent". United States Patent. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
2. Fennema (2007). Fennema’s Food Chemistry. CRC Press. p. 1144.
3. Brockus, J. "Glazing Agent". European Patent Office. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
4. Brockus, J. "Glazing Agent". European Patent Office. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
5. Shiojima, Y. "Fine dispersion composition of wax, hair cosmetic preparation and glazing agent". Shiseido Company Limited. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
6. Shinohara, S. "Glazing agent for an automobile". U.S. Patent office. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
7. Brockus, J. "Glazing Agent". European Patent Office. Retrieved March 21, 2012.
8. Brockus, J. "Glazing Agent". European Patent Office. Retrieved March 21, 2012.

See also

• Glaze (cooking technique)
• Food coating, a comprehensive description of this unit operation in a food processing line.