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Pharmaceutical glaze is an alcohol based solution of various types of food grade shellac.[1] When used in food and confections, it is also known as confectioner's glaze, resinous glaze, pure food glaze and natural glaze.[2][3] It is also known colloquially in the manufacturing world as beetle juice due to shellac's derivation from the lac insect Kerria lacca (which is not a beetle, but a scale insect).
Pharmaceutical glaze may contain denatured alcoholic solution of 20-51% shellac[1], waxes and titanium dioxide as an opacifying agent.
Pharmaceutical glaze is used by the drug and nutritional supplement industry as a coating material for tablets and capsules. It serves to improve the product's appearance, extend shelf life and protect it from moisture, as well as provide a solid finishing film for pre-print coatings. It also serves to mask unpleasant odors and aid in the swallowing of the tablet.
The shellac coating is insoluble in stomach acid and may make the tablet difficult for the body to break down or assimilate. For this reason it can also be used as an ingredient in time-released, sustained or delayed action pills. The product is listed on the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's inactive ingredient list and has been accepted as safe. It is generally regarded as an acceptable ingredient to a pharmaceutical-grade tablet, and is used in quality manufactured products in a Good Manufacturing Practice environment.
A competitive non-animal-based product is zein, a corn protein.[4]
References
- ^ a b Smolinske, Susan C. (1992). Handbook of Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Excipients. CRC Press. p. 347. ISBN 084933585X. http://books.google.com/books?id=FDisTRAhLRoC.
- ^ Blech, Zushe Yosef (2004). Kosher Food Production. Blackwell Publishing. p. 275. ISBN 0813825709. http://books.google.com/books?id=_-Yz02-CF6MC. "Many candies are polished with "confectioner's glaze." otherwise known as "resinous glaze." The base of this material is shellac, which is derived from the lac insect. Although most Kashrus organizations accept this material, some do not."
- ^ Adams, Cecil (1992). "The Straight Dope: Is some candy coated with beetle juice?". Creative Loafing Media, Inc.. http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/695/is-some-candy-coated-with-beetle-juice. Retrieved on 2009-02-02.
- ^ Klahorst, Suanne J. (September 1999). "Credible Edible Films". Food Product Design. http://www.foodproductdesign.com/articles/466/466_0999ap.html. Retrieved on 2009-02-02.
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