Processed
Glycerol
Glycerol (glycerin) is a clear, sweet, viscous polyol used as a humectant to hold moisture in cakes, bars, fondants, and dried fruit preparations, and as a solvent for flavours and colours. Food grades come from fat splitting or as a by-product of biodiesel and soap manufacture, then refined to high purity. It tastes mildly sweet and feels silky on the tongue, lowering water activity so products stay soft longer without tasting wet. Too much makes textures sticky or gummy and can suppress sweetness balance. Heat-stable for most baking; mixes readily with water and alcohol. Not a fat substitute by volume—recipes that rely on its humectancy are written around its specific gravity and sweetness.
Also known as: E422, Glycerol (E422), Glycerin, Glycerine, Guriserin
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Nutrition
Typical values per 100 g edible portion. Nutrient names open the reference page.
Nutrition Facts
Per 100 g edible portion
Amount per 100 g
- Total Fat 0 g
- Saturated Fat 0 g
- Trans Fat 0 g
- Monounsaturated Fat 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat 0 g
- Cholesterol 0 mg
- Sodium 1 mg
- Salt 0 g
- Total Carbohydrate 0 g
- Dietary Fibre 0 g
- Total Sugars 0 g
- Complex / starch 0 g
- Protein 0 g
- Water 0.5 g
- Energy 427 kcal
- Water 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates 99.5 g
- Minerals 1 mg
- Major Minerals 1 mg
- Sodium 1 mg
Minerals
Refined glycerol (glycerin) is a sweet-tasting triol from fat splitting, used as a humectant. EU energy conversion is 4.3 kcal/g, so 99.5 g is about 427 kcal. It is not sucrose: sugars and starch are 0. The mass is recorded as glycerol. Water is residual from the 99.5% food grade.
History
Carl Wilhelm Scheele obtained glycerol while saponifying olive oil.
Refined glycerin became a pharmaceutical and confectionery humectant.
Food-grade glycerol standardised for soft sweets, cake, and tobacco humectancy.
Biodiesel by-product streams increased refined glycerol supply for food and feed.