Ingredient Information

Function

Glycerol Ester of Rosin is obtained by combining glycerol with Ester gum. Glycerol Ester of Rosin’s primary function in food and beverages is to keep oils suspended or mixed evenly in water, adhering to the old adage that oil and water do not mix. Small traces of wood are naturally occurring in Glycerol Ester of Rosin, which is often used as an alternative to brominated vegetable oil in citrus-flavored soft drinks. Some of the products that contain Glycerol Ester of Rosin are fruit and citrus sodas, lemonades, vitamin-enhanced waters, and sports drinks. In chewing gum and ice creams, Glycerol Ester of Rosin acts as a thickening agent.

Many food and beverage companies choose to use Glycerol Ester of Rosin as an ingredient because it helps to provide a pleasing and authentic fruit flavor in water-based beverages. Citrus oils are very concentrated and need to be balanced out before a palatable taste is acquired in a drink. Fruit oils or juices and carbonated water do not naturally blend well and the use of Glycerol Ester of Rosin keeps the oils and waters from separating in the bottle or can. Glycerol Ester of Rosin is used in food, beverages, and cosmetics as an emulsifier, stabilizer, and thickener.

Other Use and Industries

Alternative uses for Glycerol Ester of Rosin are as a stabilizer in eyeliner pencils. Manufacturers of pressure-sensitive adhesives and coating also use Glycerol Ester of Rosin in their products.

Health Effects

Although Glycerol Ester of Rosin has been deemed safe for humans, it is wise to cut back on its consumption because it is most predominantly found in soft drinks and sweets that have empty calories. Overindulgence of sodas, fruit-flavored drinks, and ice creams with no nutritional value can be a cause of obesity or diabetes for individuals with blood sugar concerns.

There have been no health risks directly related to Glycerol Ester of Rosin as an ingredient. Federal regulations prevent no more than 100 parts of wood rosin per million, and only a trace amount is found in sodas. Glycerol Ester of Rosin is considered by many to be the best and most natural option for achieving stability in beverages. Pregnant women should use caution and check with their physician before consuming products containing Glycerol Ester of Rosin.

Origins

Glycerol Ester of Rosin is collected from stumps of longleaf pine trees. It is mixed with other ingredients to form a thickening agent called Ester Gum. The Ester Gum is used as a thickener and stabilizer in chewing gums and ice creams. Combined with glycerol, the resulting Glycerol Ester of Rosin is then purified to form a beverage-grade substance by dissolving a carboxylic compound in alcohol and adding a catalytic acid, usually sulfuric acid.