Propylene Glycol

Propylene glycol’s water absorption property is its key to success. Used in foods, medications, paints, and plastics, Daytona Beach chemical supplier Bell Chem’s propylene glycol is indeed a versatile chemical! 

Pharmaceutical

Propylene glycol USP works as a non-active excipient and solvent, transporting active ingredients to mix evenly throughout liquid, gel, and solid medicines. As it absorbs water during the creation of medications, medicines maintain a specific level of moisture to keep them fresh for longer.  

Cosmetic

Added to personal care products to retain texture and moisture, propylene glycol is an ingredient in sunscreen, shampoo, stick deodorant, lotions and creams, and more. Foam products such as shaving cream use propylene glycol to stabilize.  

Pet and Livestock Feed

Moisture removal for outdoor animal feed is vital for storage as well as animal health. Propylene glycol deters bacterial growth and retains the taste of animal feed.

Manufacturing

Polyester compounds have propylene glycol as one of their main components. Paint and plastic manufacturing use propylene glycol as a solvent and as a protectant against weathering. Because propylene glycol is a basic chemical building block, it is often used as the component in formable plastics. 

Foods and Beverages

As a solvent, propylene glycol ensures color and taste remain consistent from one use to the next. The water absorbency of propylene glycol retains food freshness and extends shelf life.  

Theatrics

The fog generated in firefighter training and in theatrical presentations is produced when propylene glycol is heated or shaken, at which time it condenses into a vapor. This aerated form of propylene glycol acts as a smokescreen to hinder enemy fire when United States military troops enter a battlefield. 

Industrial Use

Propylene glycol is used in heat transfer to hinder acute pressure expansion and corrosion. Its water absorption quality controls liquid viscosity, and as a solvent, it disperses active agents. 

Call Bell Chem today to order propylene glycol or any of our other chemicals or ingredients for your business. Bell Chem is your Daytona Beach chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

The Versatility of D-Limonene

While some cleaners work well on grease and soil, they can be harsh to the environment and caustic to humans. However, cleansers with a gentler impact on people and nature are generally not strong enough to properly clean. Bell Chem’s d-Limonene breaks that trend by being an effective cleaner, a great antioxidant, and a non-toxic chemical when introduced to the environment. 

As a Fragrance

Citrus terpenes such as d-Limonene are created when citrus peels are cold-pressed, releasing their oil via distillation. The result is a tangy citrus product that many people associate with cleanliness. Added to cleaning products, deodorizers, aerosol and solid air fresheners, and other products, d-Limonene quickly fills the air with a clean odor.

As a Solvent

D-Limonene occurs naturally in citrus oils, such as oranges and grapefruit. This fresh, clean-smelling aroma works great as a solvent in cleaning solutions against grease and oil, outperforming water-based solvents. As a non-reactive and non-caustic cleaner, it cleans effectively and will not harm the environment.

In Industrial Cleaning

D-Limonene will not rust or corrode machinery; it can be utilized on the interior or exterior of industrial machines. But don’t let its mild, environmentally friendly exterior fool you — d-Limonene cleans better than many harsh industrial chemicals.

In Foods and Beverages

Because it is derived from orange rinds, d-Limonene is safe for human consumption and has been used for decades in juices, chewing gum, candy, and foods requiring a tangy, citrusy, or lemony taste.

As an Antioxidant

Its ability to sequester oxygen gives d-Limonene a boost in the health and cosmetic markets. Nutritional and medicinal supplements tout d-Limonene as an anti-carcinogenic and anti-mutagenic product that curbs abnormal cellular growth. Cosmetic creams and ointments add d-Limonene because it quickly permeates the outer skin layer to soothe and heal the underlying skin tissue.

In Cancer Treatments

Studies have shown that oral consumption of d-Limonene tablets slows cancer tumor growth. Laboratory studies show d-Limonene blocks pre-cancerous chemicals and has even killed cancerous cells. Further research must be conducted before determining its effects in humans.

Call Bell Chem today to order d-Limonene for your business. Bell Chem is a ingredient distributor Florida based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Industry Uses of Maltodextrin

Breaking apart the word “maltodextrin” can give you a basic idea of its components and action upon foods and other products: “malto” refers to the main ingredient (a starch), while “dextrin” is associated with sugars. Maltodextrin begins life as corn starch, often in the form of potatoes, tapioca, oats, wheat, or rice. It is processed into a slurry, then hydrolyzed with alpha-amylase or acids to break chemical bonds and change the complex carbohydrates into simpler sugars. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem’s pure maltodextrin is commonly utilized in the food and beverage industry. 

Texture

In foods, maltodextrin works as a bulking agent, transforming runny, low viscous foods into more solid masses. Think of yogurt, baby food, gelatin, salad dressings, and sauces:How appealing would these be if they were runny? Adding maltodextrin — a largely flavorless ingredient — bulks up these foods to give a more palatable mouthfeel. Maltodextrin can also replicate the texture of fats in fat-free and low-fat foods. With the texture of fat, our bodies easily mistake maltodextrin for a less healthy, fattier, alternative.

Maltodextrin is also able to stabilize the texture in foods with a high freezing temperature. Ice cream and other frozen desserts use maltodextrin to stabilize texture, giving a consistent taste with each mouthful.

Reducing Dextrose Equivalent

Adding maltodextrin to an overly sweet food reduces the Dextrose Equivalent (DE) level. Maltodextrin has a DE range of two to 20, while dextrose’s DE hovers closer to 100. For this reason, maltodextrin is often added to sugar replacement packets.

Enhancement

Maltodextrin is often used to enhance food products. For example, adding maltodextrin to beer helps it keep a foamy head for a longer period of time, while cereals and low-fat snacks, such as pretzels, owe their shiny coat to maltodextrin. It also helps dry coatings faster and is added routinely to confectionary toppings.

Call Bell Chem today to order maltodextrin for your business. Bell Chem is your food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Industry Uses of Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a non-toxic, non-reactive, bright white inorganic compound prized as a vivid pigment, a photocatalyst, and a wide array of other industrial uses. Bell Chem, the industrial chemical supplier, stocks this multi-use product for industrial consumers. 

Paints

Industries add titanium dioxide as a pigment during the manufacturing of paints, coatings, and plastics, where it is referred to as titanium white, pigment white 6, or CI 77891. As a matter of fact, most paint colors contain titanium dioxide as the primary pigment. The dazzling white of titanium dioxide gives it a brightly reflective, opaque sheen due to its refractive properties. 

Coating

Wind turbines coated with titanium dioxide withstand not only constant battering but are also able to slow ultraviolet radiation damage. On a smaller scale, the plastic surrounding window frames is protected from sun damage when coated with TiO2.

UV Protection

Sunscreen and skincare products benefit from ultra-fine titanium dioxide. Along with protection, TiO2 thickens products to improve texture. And unlike zinc, TiO2 is transparent when used as a sunblock. 

Photocatalyst

Titanium dioxide has been shown to decompose and sterilize pollutants when used in tiles, windows, cements, and paints. Another photocatalyst effect is TiO2’s ability to break the bonds within water molecules, thereby allowing the hydrogen within the compound to be used as fuel. Titanium dioxide has even been found to have a positive photocatalyst attribute in cancer therapy. Exhaust systems in automobiles using TiO2 as a catalyst diminish their impact on the environment, and solar cells (Grätzel cells) of nano-grade TiO2 produce solar energy quite similarly to how plants photosynthesize. 

Food

Food grade titanium dioxide is odorless, flavorless, and completely safe. Along with its brilliant white sheen, it smooths texture when mixed with chocolates during manufacture. 

Be sure to contact Bell Chem, your industrial chemical supplier, when your stock of titanium dioxide is running low. Bell Chem is based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Ascorbic Acid

Ascorbic acid, as an integral component of Vitamin C, is an excellent antioxidant. The nutritional ingredient supplier, Bell Chem, stocks ascorbic acid for use in several industries, including food, reagent, nutrition, personal care, and as a USP ingredient.  

• Vitamin C contains ascorbic acid along with several other trace minerals and compounds that work together to keep the body healthy. Within the vitamin, ascorbic acid acts as the antioxidant portion, enabling the function of the vitamin to occur in the presence of oxygen. Because oxygen is detrimental to many functions in the body, ascorbic acid, acting as an antioxidant, protects the functions by staving off oxygen.

• Along with countering bacteria in the human body, ascorbic acid also acts as a building block for collagen. Collagen is an abundant protein that offers structural support to bones, tissue, skin, teeth, and tiny capillaries as it aids in healing wounds. 

• Ascorbic acid binds with heavy metals in the body, safely eliminating them.

• Excess heat and boiling water break Vitamin C apart and diminish its activities. The protective nature of ascorbic acid replenishes the lost Vitamin C content.

• The tangy flavor of ascorbic acid is what we associate with citrus drinks. Ascorbic acid is often added to fruit juices, dried fruit, candied fruit, and fruit juices as a flavor enhancer. 

• Because ascorbic acid has a low pH, it is often an ingredient in foods with short shelf lives, such as breads and pastries, jams and jellies, and cured meats and cold cuts. Microorganisms generally do not thrive in low pH conditions, so ascorbic acid preserves foods from spoiling while it retains the original color of the food.

• Used in photography as a developing agent, ascorbic acid is environmentally friendly and produces negatives with sharp, fine-grain, high-image quality.

• The acidic properties of ascorbic acid catalyze chemical reactions during the manufacture of plastic.

• Water treatment plants add ascorbic acid to sterilized potable water to eliminate the taste of iodine.

• Researchers have found ascorbic acid enhances the ability of microscopic cells to fluoresce, making it simpler for scientists studying the behavior of cells to delve deeper into the microscopic world of cells.

Bell Chem is the nutritional ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products — such as ascorbic acid — stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Foaming Cleaners

Spraying a surface with a clear detergent generally cleans the area, so why would manufacturers go through additional steps to create a product that foams as it cleans? Is it purely for aesthetics? Bell Chem, the sanitation chemical supplier, answers these questions and more with our information on foaming cleaners.

Flat Surfaces

Foam is a mass of individual bubbles with added cleaning detergents or degreasers. When applied to a flat surface, these bubbles pile up like melted ice cream. Does it matter how thick the bubbles are? Not at all. As a matter of fact, foam on a flat surface is generally unnecessary unless the intent is to thoroughly coat a surface and know precisely that every point is covered with cleaner. In this respect, foam is ideal since the dimensions make it simple to determine if an area was or was not sprayed. 

Machinery

In a bulky piece of machinery, nooks and crannies often need a cleaning substance that adheres for an extended stretch of time as it breaks down oil and grime. This job is tackled more rapidly and precisely with a foam cleaner. If you spray a traditional cleaner on a vertical surface and a foam cleaner next to it, you will note the traditional cleaner quickly runs down the surface with very little contact time. Foam has the ability to hold its position much longer, allowing the detergents and degreasers time to break through grime and oil to thoroughly clean surfaces. Tight spaces and gears are other areas where foam is an ideal cleaner. 

Versatility 

Foam cleaners are now used in several diverse manufacturing areas, such as meat and poultry plants, food and beverage processing plants, breweries, and restaurants. Difficult cleaning projects, such as environmental cleaning, heavy equipment cleaning, and vertical surface cleaning are more easily handled with foam cleaners.

Bell Chem is a sanitation chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products, such as foam cleaners, stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Zinc Oxide

Watch any summer movie from the 1980s and you will see zinc oxide’s starring role as it coats the noses of lifeguards. This inorganic mineral was traditionally found as an insoluble white powder derived from zincite, a mineral found in the earth’s crust. Today’s commercial use of zinc oxide is synthetic, but the properties remain virtually unchanged. Learn how personal care raw materials supplier Bell Chem’s zinc oxide has enhanced many aspects of your life without your knowledge.

Rubber
More than half of all zinc oxide manufactured is used in the vulcanization of rubber. From shoe soles to hockey pucks, the addition of zinc oxide allows rubber to be supple and strong.

Medical
Zinc oxide’s role in the manufacture of rubber has uses in medical fields as well. Surgical tape contains zinc oxide since it extends shelf life, resists extreme levels of heat, bonds strongly, peels off easily, and reduces bandage stress.

Personal Care
Mothers treat their babies’ diaper rashes with zinc oxide. Zinc oxide absorbs UV rays that cause sunburn and aids in the healing of burns as well as extremely chapped skin. The simple salts of zinc act as an astringent and skin conditioner in creams. More complex zinc salts have antifungal properties used in deodorants, dandruff shampoos, and soaps.

Automotive
The automotive industry has determined that zinc oxide, when reacting with organic phosphates, reduces oxidative corrosion when added to engine oil, extreme pressure lubricants, and seizure resistant lubricants. 

Solar Cells
In copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) solar cells, zinc oxide acts as a buffer layer with high electron mobility and excitation binding energy. 

Paint
Paint manufacturers include zinc oxide as a paint ingredient because it gives better coating to hide blemishes, brushes on a whiter finish without fading, and tints other colors more thoroughly. The anti-corrosive aspect of zinc oxide has led to the development of zinc chromate primers for use on metal surfaces, especially galvanized iron. Steel used in dams and other underwater areas is protected with zinc oxide.

Pharmaceutical
The antibacterial properties of zinc oxide give it the ability to act as a deodorant since the by-products of bacterial growth is what we associate with body odor. Therefore, zinc oxide is added to creams and powders for topical application. 

Bell Chem is a personal care raw materials supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Uses of Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid has a longstanding tradition as an anti-inflammatory pain reliever. This white, crystalline solid is a derivative of the biosynthesis of the amino acid phenylalanine. Tampa ingredient supplier Bell Chem’s pure salicylic acid is a primary component of several cosmetic, personal care, and skin care products. As an acid, salicylic acid forms oxidation reactions. The cosmetics, pharmaceutical, and personal care industries find salicylic acid ideal because of its antioxidant abilities.

Pain Relief 
Aspirin’s basic raw material is acetylsalicylic acid, which is derived from salicylic acid. Aspirin’s main features of being anti-inflammatory and relieving pain are due to salicylic acid.

Personal Care
Salicylic acid is the active ingredient in many acne treatment medications. As a keratolytic (a product removing the skin’s outermost epidermal layer), salicylic acid peels away blemishes, acne, warts, calluses, and corns, leaving skin smoother and with fewer blemishes. It is also used topically to treat dandruff, psoriasis, and seborrhea. Because many skin conditions are due to microbial growth, salicylic acid deters bacterial and fungal growth. Meanwhile, salicylic acid’s low pH makes it an excellent utilizer in the perfume industry.

Food Preservation
The antiseptic, anti-fungal, and anti-bacterial properties of salicylic acid gives it a role in food preservation enabling a lengthier shelf life. 

Photosynthesis 
Many processes of organic synthesis use salicylic acid as a catalyst. This function causes it to be ideal for stimulating plant growth and development along with photosynthesis and transpiration. When utilized during organic dying processes, salicylic acid acts as a photosynthesizer. In azo dyes, the addition of salicylic acid creates a bold, red dye due to an electrochemical response.

Bell Chem is the Tampa ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including versatile salicylic acid. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message. To learn more about the chemicals we offer, read our blog.

Everyday Chemicals: Acetic Acid

Most people recognize acetic acid as the main component of vinegar, with five percent to 20 percent acetic acid per volume. Undiluted, this product is known as glacial acetic acid. Bell Chem ensures a constant supply of acetic acid is available for our customers and can help you learn more about this everyday chemical. 

In Medicine
Research from the National Institute of Health Research noted that a one percent dilution of acetic acid applied to burn wounds inhibits pathogenic growth and deters Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection and biofilm formation. Acetic acid’s antimicrobial properties make it ideal for treating outer ear infections. In fact, the World Health Organization has listed acetic acid as one of the world’s essential medicines. Meanwhile, in physiotherapy, acetic acid acts as a carrier in the process of iontophoresis, in which medicine is delivered via the surface of the skin. Bypassing needles by administering medication through the porous skin is non-invasive and well received.

In the Household
The recent push for organic and eco-friendly household cleaners has led to an upswing in the use of acetic acid — generally in the form of vinegar — as an antibacterial, anti-fungal, and overall antibiotic cleaner of everything from windows to hard surfaces. Additionally, most paints and adhesives are composed of vinyl acetate, a chemical compound consisting of acetic acid, ethylene, and oxygen along with a catalyst. 

In Science
Meanwhile, in biochemical laboratories, acetic acid is bound to coenzyme A to act as a carbohydrate and fat metabolizer. Its properties cause it to easily mix with chloroform, hexane, water, and other liquids. Organic compounds recrystallize when acetic acid is used as a solvent.

The vast array of functions performed by acetic acid prove it is a positive addition for almost every industry. Bell Chem is based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

Methylparaben in Personal Care

Look on almost any bottle of shampoo, conditioner, moisturizer, personal hygiene product, or cosmetic and you are likely to find a form of paraben listed as an ingredient. Most commonly, you will find methylparaben. In fact, almost any cosmetic with a high water content contains water soluble methylparaben. Personal care products rely on methylparaben as a useful antifungal, antibacterial, and antimicrobial preservative to extend shelf life as it keeps so many of our everyday products fresh. Read more about your personal care raw materials supplier Bell Chem’s methylparaben below.  

• As a group, parabens are naturally occurring acids derived from para-hydroxybenzoic acid (PHBA). Carrots, blueberries, onions, cucumbers, cherries, and other natural foods contain PHBA. 

• Our bodies produce parabens as a by-product of the breakdown of amino acids, the building blocks of DNA. Because amino acids are constantly being created and depleted, parabens are present naturally in the body. When water-soluble methylparaben is consumed, it is quickly converted to paraben. The body takes what it needs, and the remainder of this important additive is filtered from the body.

• Methylparaben’s defense against microorganisms does more than extend shelf life of products; it protects consumers from contracting diseases associated with bacteria, yeast, mold, and fungi. 

• With a track record extending over a century, methylparaben has proven a safe preservative for food, pharmaceuticals, and personal care.

• Methylparabens may be listed on an ingredient label as 4-hydroxy methyl ester benzoic acid or methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate.

You can rely on Bell Chem to supply safe, pure raw materials, such as methylparaben for your industry. Bell Chem is a personal care raw materials supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products – including methylparaben – stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.