Glycerine

Glycerine is another spelling of the chemical material Glycerin and Glycerol, which is a simple polyol compound with many uses in healthcare and pharmaceuticals. Glycerine appears as a thick, sticky liquid and is clear and colourless. It has no discernible odour, is sweet-tasting and presents no specific hazards to the user, although, as with all chemical products, care must be taken to ensure that the material is handled by competent persons. A Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) will be provided by your supplier. This should be carefully read and understood before handling Glycerine.

Glycerine is known as a Hygroscopic material; this means that it is very soluble in water and readily absorbs moisture from the atmosphere. Other Hygroscopic substances include sugar, salt and honey. Hygroscopic substances are frequently used in desiccation. Glycerine has an E Number of 422 and when used as a food additive, Glycerine is effective in keeping the foodstuff moist.

Glycerine is widely used in the food industry as a thickening agent and as a filler. In ready-prepared low-fat foods, Glycerine is used as a filler, whilst in the manufacture of liquers Glycerine is used as a thickener. Glycerine can be used as a sugar substitute, with about 27 calories per teaspoon. Glycerine does not feed on the bacteria in the mouth which can cause plaque and result in tooth decay. Glycerine provides the same food energy as sugar but does not raise blood sugar levels. Glycerine has a lower glycemic index than sugar so some healthcare dieticians believe that Glycerine is a safer alternative to sugar for those persons on a low carbohydrate diet.

In pharmaceuticals, Glycerine is used as a laxative in suppositories and also as a topical treatment for bedsores, rashes, bites and burns. Glycerine is also used to treat certain skin conditions such as psoriasis.

Glycerine can be manufactured into Glycerine soap which has the benefit of not drying out skin, as with traditionally-manufactured soaps. Those with sensitive skin find that Glycerine soaps do not irritate or cause dryness as it draws up moisture through the layers of the skin and slows or prevents excessive water loss in the skin.

Glycerine appears in many household products and personal-care toiletries, such as shaving creams, hair care products, toothpastes, mouthwashes, cough syrups and expectorants.

Glycerine is also used to produce Nitroglycerin, GN or Glycerol Trinitrate which is used in smokeless gunpowder explosive materials such as gelignite and dynamite.