E422 Glycerol is a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting polyol widely used in food and beverage applications as a humectant, solvent, carrier, and texturizing agent, and E422 Glycerol is valued for strong moisture retention and broad compatibility with many ingredients.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain softness and prevent drying by binding water, and E422 Glycerol is commonly used in bakery, confectionery, beverages, extracts, and nutritional products to support stable texture and shelf life.
E422 Glycerol is typically supplied as a clear viscous liquid of high purity, and E422 Glycerol performance depends on concentration, water activity targets, and overall formulation design.
CAS Number: 56-81-5
EC Number: 200-289-5
Molecular Formula: C3H8O3
Molecular Weight: 92.09 g/mol
Synonyms: E422 Glycerol, Glycerol, Glycerin, Glycerine, 1,2,3-Propanetriol, Food Grade Glycerol, Vegetable Glycerin (source-dependent), Glycerol Humectant, Glycerol Solvent, Sweetener E422 (label term), E422, Glycerol Carrier,E422 Glycerol, Glycerol, Glycerin, Glycerine, 1,2,3-Propanetriol, Propane-1,2,3-triol, Trihydroxypropane, Glycyl Alcohol, Glyceritol, Glycerolum, Vegetable Glycerin, Vegetable Glycerine, Synthetic Glycerin, Synthetic Glycerine, Refined Glycerin, Refined Glycerine, Crude Glycerin, Crude Glycerine, Distilled Glycerin, Distilled Glycerine, Pharmaceutical Glycerin, Pharmaceutical Glycerine, Pharma Grade Glycerin, Pharma Grade Glycerine, Food Grade Glycerin, Food Grade Glycerine, Cosmetic Grade Glycerin, Cosmetic Grade Glycerine, Industrial Glycerin, Industrial Glycerine, Technical Grade Glycerin, Technical Grade Glycerine, USP Glycerin, USP Glycerine, EP Glycerol, BP Glycerol, FCC Glycerin, FCC Glycerine, Anhydrous Glycerol, Anhydrous Glycerin, Anhydrous Glycerine, Glycerol 99.5%, Glycerin 99.5%, Glycerine 99.5%, Glycerol 99.7%, Glycerin 99.7%, Glycerine 99.7%, Glycerol 99.8%, Glycerin 99.8%, Glycerine 99.8%, Glycerol Monohydrate, Glycerin Solution, Glycerine Solution, Aqueous Glycerol, Natural Glycerin
APPLICATIONS
E422 Glycerol is used in bakery products to retain moisture and delay staling, improving softness over shelf life.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into cakes and muffins to improve tenderness and reduce dryness in reduced-sugar designs.
E422 Glycerol is used in soft cookies and bars to maintain chewiness and reduce hardening during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in confectionery to improve moisture retention and prevent crystallization in chewy candies.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into fondants and fillings to improve smoothness and reduce graining.
E422 Glycerol is used in chewing gum to support softness and improve mouthfeel stability.
E422 Glycerol is used in icing and frostings to maintain smooth texture and reduce drying and cracking.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into dessert toppings to improve spreadability and texture stability.
E422 Glycerol is used in glazes to improve shine and prevent brittle surface formation.
E422 Glycerol is used in beverages as a solvent and carrier for flavors, colors, and functional ingredients.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into beverage concentrates and syrups to improve ingredient dispersion and stability.
E422 Glycerol is used in liqueur-style and specialty beverages in selected applications to increase mouthfeel and viscosity.
E422 Glycerol is used in extracts and flavor preparations as a carrier solvent for botanical extracts and aromas.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into vanilla and herbal extracts to provide stable solubilization and controlled release of flavor compounds.
E422 Glycerol is used in spray flavor applications in food processing to improve distribution of liquid flavor components.
E422 Glycerol is used in nutritional and sports products to improve texture and support moisture stability in bars and gels.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into meal replacement products to improve mouthfeel and reduce dryness.
E422 Glycerol is used in protein bars to maintain softness and reduce hardening during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in pharmaceutical syrups and chewable products to improve palatability and act as a solvent and humectant.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into lozenges to maintain softness and prevent drying.
E422 Glycerol is used in oral care products such as toothpaste and mouthwash to provide humectancy and improve taste profile.
E422 Glycerol is used in frozen desserts in selected applications to control ice crystal formation and improve texture by affecting freezing point.
E422 Glycerol is incorporated into sorbets and frozen confections to improve scoopability and reduce iciness.
E422 Glycerol is valued because E422 Glycerol provides strong humectancy, solvent power, and texture support that improves shelf life and processing consistency across many product categories.
DESCRIPTION
E422 Glycerol is a trihydroxy alcohol that occurs naturally in fats and oils as part of triglycerides, and industrial E422 Glycerol is produced by hydrolysis, transesterification, or fermentation-based routes followed by purification.
E422 Glycerol binds water strongly, and this moisture binding reduces water activity and helps keep foods soft, smooth, and stable during storage.
E422 Glycerol provides mild sweetness and contributes to mouthfeel, and E422 Glycerol is often used to improve perceived body in syrups and liquid products.
E422 Glycerol functions as a solvent and carrier, and E422 Glycerol helps dissolve flavors, colors, and some active ingredients that are poorly soluble in water alone.
E422 Glycerol is compatible with many food ingredients, but high levels can soften structure excessively or create sticky textures, so dosage optimization is important.
E422 Glycerol should be used according to applicable food additive regulations and good manufacturing practices for the target market.
E422 Glycerol is hygroscopic, and E422 Glycerol will absorb moisture from air, so containers should be kept tightly closed to maintain consistent concentration.
E422 Glycerol is viscous, and viscosity decreases as temperature increases, which affects pumping and dosing in industrial operations.
E422 Glycerol should be stored away from strong oxidizers and kept in clean, food-grade containers to prevent contamination.
E422 Glycerol is used as a humectant in food to retain moisture and improve texture.
E422 Glycerol supports water binding and reduces drying in finished products.
E422 Glycerol helps extend shelf life by lowering water activity in some systems.
E422 Glycerol is used in bakery products to improve softness and delay staling.
E422 Glycerol supports moisture retention in cakes, muffins, and soft cookies.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain tender crumb during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in bread and buns to help reduce firmness increase over shelf life in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol supports a softer crumb and improved freshness perception.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce drying in packaged bakery.
E422 Glycerol is used in tortillas and flatbreads to improve flexibility and reduce cracking.
E422 Glycerol supports improved foldability and reduced brittleness.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain softness during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in icings and frostings to control moisture and improve spreadability.
E422 Glycerol supports smooth texture and reduced crusting on frosting surfaces.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce cracking in sugar-based icings.
E422 Glycerol is used in chewing gum to maintain softness and flexibility.
E422 Glycerol supports chew texture stability by retaining moisture.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce hardening of gum during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in soft candies and chewy confections as a humectant.
E422 Glycerol supports stable chew texture and reduced sugar crystallization in some systems.
E422 Glycerol helps prevent candies from becoming brittle.
E422 Glycerol is used in jams, fruit fillings, and spreads to control water activity in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol supports microbial stability in moisture-rich fillings.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain consistent texture in filled bakery products.
E422 Glycerol is used in dairy desserts to improve mouthfeel and moisture retention.
E422 Glycerol supports smooth texture in puddings and dairy gels in some recipes.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce syneresis and improve stability during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in ice cream and frozen desserts to influence freezing point and improve texture.
E422 Glycerol supports softer scoop by contributing to freezing point depression.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce ice crystal growth during storage in some systems.
E422 Glycerol is used in beverages to provide body and mouthfeel in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol supports smoother sensory profile in certain low-sugar drinks.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce harshness in some flavor systems by adding viscosity.
E422 Glycerol is used in flavor extracts as a solvent and carrier for flavors.
E422 Glycerol supports dissolution of some flavor compounds and improves stability.
E422 Glycerol helps improve dosing accuracy of concentrated flavor preparations.
E422 Glycerol is used in sweetener syrups and concentrates to control viscosity and moisture behavior.
E422 Glycerol supports stable pourability and reduced crystallization risk in some syrups.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain consistent texture during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in pharmaceutical syrups as a solvent and sweetening humectant.
E422 Glycerol supports palatability and viscosity in oral liquid medicines.
E422 Glycerol helps stabilize formulations by reducing water activity and improving texture.
E422 Glycerol is used as an excipient in oral solutions to improve mouthfeel and reduce irritation in some products.
E422 Glycerol supports smooth sensory feel in throat sprays and oral rinses.
E422 Glycerol helps improve patient acceptance of oral liquids.
E422 Glycerol is used in topical pharmaceuticals as a humectant in creams and gels.
E422 Glycerol supports skin hydration and improved barrier feel.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce dryness and tightness sensation after application.
E422 Glycerol is used in capsule shells and softgels as a plasticizer.
E422 Glycerol supports flexibility and reduces brittleness of gelatin shells.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain capsule integrity during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in personal care products as a key humectant for skin moisturization.
E422 Glycerol supports water binding in lotions, creams, and serums.
E422 Glycerol helps improve skin softness and smoothness perception.
E422 Glycerol is used in hand creams and body lotions to improve hydration performance.
E422 Glycerol supports long-lasting moisturization in leave-on products.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce flakiness in dry skin care routines.
E422 Glycerol is used in facial cleansers to reduce dryness after washing.
E422 Glycerol supports mildness and improved skin feel in surfactant systems.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce tightness sensation after rinse-off.
E422 Glycerol is used in shampoos and conditioners to support moisture balance.
E422 Glycerol supports improved manageability and reduced frizz perception.
E422 Glycerol helps improve scalp comfort in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol is used in soaps and cleansing bars to improve mildness in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol supports moisture retention and reduced cracking in soap bars.
E422 Glycerol helps improve sensory feel during and after washing.
E422 Glycerol is used in toothpaste as a humectant to prevent drying and maintain smooth paste texture.
E422 Glycerol supports consistent viscosity and stable extrusion from tubes.
E422 Glycerol helps improve mouthfeel and flavor stability in toothpaste.
E422 Glycerol is used in mouthwash as a solvent and humectant in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol supports solubilization of flavors and actives in oral liquids.
E422 Glycerol helps improve taste and reduce burning sensation in some rinses.
E422 Glycerol is used in cough drops and lozenges to support moisture and smooth mouthfeel in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol supports reduced brittleness in lozenge matrices.
E422 Glycerol helps improve throat-soothing perception in some products.
E422 Glycerol is used in e-liquids as a major carrier solvent in some nicotine delivery systems.
E422 Glycerol supports vapor production and sweetness perception in such formulations.
E422 Glycerol helps adjust viscosity and aerosol properties in e-liquid blends.
E422 Glycerol is used in industrial antifreeze and de-icing fluids in some applications.
E422 Glycerol supports freezing point depression in water-based solutions.
E422 Glycerol helps reduce volatility compared with some glycols in selected systems.
E422 Glycerol is used in heat transfer fluids in some low-to-moderate temperature systems.
E422 Glycerol supports safer handling profile compared with some alternatives in certain uses.
E422 Glycerol helps provide viscosity and freezing point control in formulated fluids.
E422 Glycerol is used in lubricants as a component in some water-based lubricant systems.
E422 Glycerol supports lubricity and reduced wear in selected applications.
E422 Glycerol helps improve film formation in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol is used in alkyd resin manufacturing as a polyol building block.
E422 Glycerol supports polyesterification for coatings and paint resins.
E422 Glycerol helps enable production of durable resin backbones.
E422 Glycerol is used in polyurethane and foam chemistry as a polyol component in some formulations.
E422 Glycerol supports crosslinking and network formation in certain polyurethane systems.
E422 Glycerol helps control hardness and flexibility of polymer products.
E422 Glycerol is used in tobacco processing as a humectant to maintain moisture.
E422 Glycerol supports reduced drying and improved handling of tobacco blends.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain consistent smoking experience in some products.
E422 Glycerol is used in laboratory biology as a cryoprotectant for cells and enzymes.
E422 Glycerol supports protection during freezing by reducing ice crystal damage.
E422 Glycerol helps improve viability of stored microbial and cell stocks.
E422 Glycerol is used in protein storage buffers to stabilize enzymes and proteins.
E422 Glycerol supports reduced denaturation and improved stability at low temperatures.
E422 Glycerol helps maintain activity of sensitive biomolecules during storage.
E422 Glycerol is used in product development to tune water activity, viscosity, and sensory feel in foods and cosmetics.
E422 Glycerol supports improved moisture control without major flavor changes at appropriate levels.
E422 Glycerol helps optimize texture and shelf life simultaneously.
E422 Glycerol is used in manufacturing troubleshooting to reduce dryness, cracking, and hardening in moisture-sensitive products.
E422 Glycerol supports improved water retention and softer texture.
E422 Glycerol helps stabilize quality during storage and distribution.
E422 Glycerol is used in quality control to verify purity, water content, and contaminant limits in food and pharma grades.
E422 Glycerol supports consistent functionality and safety in formulations.
E422 Glycerol helps ensure correct labeling and stable finished product outcomes.
E422 Glycerol is used in education and training as an example of polyols, humectants, and solvent properties.
E422 Glycerol supports teaching about hydrogen bonding, viscosity, and freezing point depression.
E422 Glycerol helps illustrate multifunctional ingredient behavior across industries.
E422 Glycerol is a colorless, odorless, sweet-tasting viscous liquid also known as glycerin.
E422 Glycerol is a triol with three hydroxyl groups that enable strong water binding and solvent behavior.
E422 Glycerol is miscible with water and many alcohols, which supports broad formulation use.
E422 Glycerol is widely used as a humectant, solvent, sweetener, and plasticizer in food, pharmaceuticals, and personal care.
E422 Glycerol helps lower water activity and improve texture stability in moisture-sensitive products.
E422 Glycerol contributes viscosity and smooth mouthfeel in many formulations at appropriate levels.
E422 Glycerol is used in pharmaceuticals to plasticize gelatin capsules and to improve palatability of syrups.
E422 Glycerol is used in cosmetics to improve skin hydration and barrier feel in lotions and creams.
E422 Glycerol is also used industrially as a polyol building block for alkyd resins and some polyurethane systems.
E422 Glycerol is hygroscopic and should be stored in tightly closed containers to prevent water pickup and contamination.
E422 Glycerol is valued for safety, versatility, and broad usefulness across food, personal care, pharma, and industrial chemistry.
PROPERTIES
Chemical Formula: C3H8O3
Molecular Weight: 92.09 g/mol
Common Name: E422 Glycerol
Chemical Type: Polyol; humectant; solvent; carrier; texturizer
Appearance: Clear, colorless viscous liquid
Odor: Odorless
Taste: Sweet, mild
Solubility: Miscible with water; soluble in alcohol; limited miscibility with some oils
Viscosity: High; temperature dependent
Density: ~1.26 g/cm³ (typical at 20°C)
Boiling Point: ~290°C (decomposes; typical)
Freezing Point: ~18°C (typical; pure glycerol)
Hygroscopicity: High
Stability: Stable under normal storage; avoid strong oxidizers
Storage Temperature: 15–30°C, tightly closed, clean container
Shelf Life: Typically 24–60 months in original sealed packaging (supplier dependent)
FIRST AID
Inhalation:
Move to fresh air if mists are inhaled.
Seek medical attention if respiratory irritation persists.
Avoid breathing aerosols during spraying and heated mist formation.
Skin Contact:
Wash with soap and water after contact.
Remove contaminated clothing and wash before reuse.
Seek medical advice if irritation develops or persists.
Eye Contact:
Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes.
Remove contact lenses if present and easy to do, then continue rinsing.
Seek medical attention if irritation persists.
Ingestion:
Rinse mouth with water.
Seek medical attention if discomfort occurs or if a large amount is swallowed.
Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.
Note to Physicians:
Treat symptomatically.
No specific antidote is required.
Provide supportive care as needed.
HANDLING AND STORAGE
Handling:
Use appropriate PPE including gloves and safety glasses for bulk handling.
Avoid splashing into eyes and maintain good hygiene in liquid handling lines.
Wash hands after handling and before eating, drinking, or smoking.
Ventilation:
Use general ventilation for normal handling.
Use local exhaust if spraying generates mists.
Avoid aerosol formation in enclosed spaces without adequate airflow.
Storage:
Store in tightly closed containers or tanks in a cool, clean area.
Protect from contamination by maintaining sanitary transfer lines and closed handling.
Keep away from strong oxidizers and sources of ignition for heated processing operations.
Spill and Leak Procedures:
Contain and clean spills promptly because glycerol can create slip hazards.
Wash down residue with water and remove slick films from floors.
Dispose of waste according to local regulations and facility procedures.
Handling Precautions:
Control dosage because E422 Glycerol strongly affects water activity, softness, and stickiness in finished products.
Use E422 Glycerol as part of a balanced humectant system when long shelf life and stable texture are required.
Rotate stock using FIFO practices and maintain recommended storage conditions to preserve consistent quality.