Category: Glazing Agents & Edible Surface Coatings

Definition

Regulation (EC) 1333/2008 (Dec 2008) defines glazing agents (including lubricants) as “substances which, when applied to the external surface of a foodstuff, impart a shiny appearance or provide a protective coating”.

Source

Many glazing agents and edible surface coatings are derived from waxes naturally produced by animals and plants to retain moisture, while others are synthetically derived from petroleum. Some of the main EU approved food glazing agents are listed below according to their E numbers.

Properties

Surface coatings are applied as a powder or liquid layer onto a product via mechanical processes such as spraying, mixing or dipping. Having uniformly applied the coating to the product, the coating is stabilised by drying, heating, cooling or freezing, helping to prolong the product’s longevity. Encapsulation involves the application of a liquid layer to minute particles and relies on more processes than mechanical movement alone, such as entrapping a molecule inside a matrix, polymerisation and chemical bonding.

Glazing agents create a glossy, smooth surface coating that provides a protective, moisture resistant barrier. The coating helps to preserve food products by locking-in internal moisture or preventing their degradation due to external humidity, resulting in a prolonged shelf-life. Desirable properties of glazing agents include the stability to maintain their integrity under heat or pressure and their ability to provide a uniform, homogenous coating on an industrial scale.

Uses

Food Industry

Surface coatings are used to enhance the aesthetic appeal of food products by improving their lustre or changing their colour. They can also improve the palatability of the products by changing their texture or taste, or by enhancing their flavour. Surface coatings are sometimes used to enrich the product by adding vitamins and minerals. They may also function as release agents to prevent packaging sticking to the products.

The table at the bottom of this page lists some of the main food additives approved by the European Union (EU) for use as glazing agents, including the food categories in which their use is authorised and the maximum levels allowed within those food categories.

Confectionery Industry

Confectionery products are often coated by sugar panning, which involves tumbling products such as nuts, chocolates or jelly beans in a syrup to create a sugary outer shell. Confectioner’s glaze is often used to provide a glossy surface coating for candies.

Pharmaceutical Industry

Surface coatings are used as an excipient to coat tablets and capsules in order to improve their shelf-life. Encapsulation is also used to protect medications and control their release. Historically, pharmaceutical glaze (Shellac in an alcohol solution) was used as an enteric coating, but stability issues impacted the release characteristics and so its use for this purpose has been curtailed.

Other Industries

Waxes are used in lipsticks, lip balms, emollients and other skincare products, providing a glossy surface coating.

A.F. Suter is a leading UK supplier, retailer, wholesaler, distributor, importer and exporter of high quality Shellac, Waxes, Natural Gums, Resins, Menthol Crystals and Zein.

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Abbreviations:

ML = Maximum Level
QS = Quantum Satis
N/A = Not Applicable