Waxes

What are waxes?

Waxes are mixtures of esters of fatty acids and long-chain alcohols, free fatty acids and other lipids ^[1]. Waxes are digested with the help of wax esterase and are readily absorbed in the small intestine ^[1].

Beeswax

Beeswax is a fatty bee product, a mixture of esters of palmitic, oleic and palmitoleic acid (saturated fatty acids) and long-chain alcohols.

Beeswax may be used as a cheese coating or glazing agent. On the nutrition facts labels in the European Union it is labeled as the E-number E901. Beeswax is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ^[2].

Candelilla Wax

Candelilla wax is extracted from the stalks of the Mexican candellia plant (Euphorbia antisyphilitica) ^[3]. On the nutrition facts labels in the European Union it is listed as the E-number E902. It is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ^[2].

Carnauba Wax

Carnauba wax is extracted from the leaves of carnauba palm palm (Copernicia prunifera) native to northern Brazil ^[4]. On the nutrition facts labels in the European Union it is listed as the E-number E903. It is Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ^[2].

Paraffin Wax

Paraffin wax is used as a coating for candies, cheeses and as a carrier for other food additives.

Shellac

Shellac is wax excreted by a female lac bug, an insect living in forests of India and Thailand. It can be used to replace natural wax on apples that was removed during cleaning. On the nutrition facts labels in the European Union it is listed as the E-number E904.

Microcrystalline Wax

On the nutrition facts labels in the European Union it is listed with the E-number E905.

Health Benefits

There is INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE abut the effect of the beeswax from honeycomb and waxes from the whole grains (brown rice, wheat, oats, rye, barley) on blood cholesterol levels ^[1].

Properties and Uses

• Appearance: yellow to brown brittle solids
• Solubility: insoluble in water
• Melting point = 154-187 °F (68-86 °C)
• Uses: glazing or bulking agent or carriers for artificial colors or other substances in cheeses, candies and chewing gum
• Calories per gram = 9
• Reference: ^[1]