E904 SHELLAC

E904 Shellac is used as a 'wax' coating on citrus fruit to prolong its shelf/storage life.
E904 Shellac is also used to replace the natural wax of the apple, which is removed during the cleaning process.
E904 Shellac coating applied with either a standard or modified Huon-Stuehrer nozzle, can be economically micro-sprayed onto various smooth sweets, such as chocolate coated peanuts.

CAS Number: 9000-59-3
EC Number: 232-549-9
MDL number: MFCD03101446
Chemical Formula: Complex natural polyester resin (no single fixed molecular formula)
General Formula: Mixture of polyhydroxy aliphatic and sesquiterpene acids
Molecular Weight: Variable polymeric molecular weight

SYNONYMS:
(2R,6S,7R,10S)-10-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyltricyclo[5.3.1.0]undec-8-ene-2,8-dicarboxylic acid;9,10,15-trihydroxypentadecanoic acid, Shellac ammonium salt, Shellac, Lac Resin, Gum Lac, Purified Lac, Confectioner’s Glaze, Pharmaceutical Glaze, Food Glaze Resin, Bleached Shellac, Dewaxed Shellac, Seedlac, Sticklac, Lac Wax Resin, Natural Lac Resin, Orange Shellac, Refined Shellac

E904 Shellac is a natural resinous food additive primarily used as a glazing agent, coating material, and surface finishing agent in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial sectors.
E904 Shellac is secreted by the female lac insect Kerria lacca, which lives mainly on trees in India, Thailand, and other parts of Southeast Asia.

E904 Shellac is collected from tree branches, purified, filtered, and processed into flakes, powders, or liquid forms suitable for commercial applications.
E904 Shellac is a polyester resin obtained from insect excrement.

No undesirable properties are known.
Bleached E904 Shellac is an off-white amorphous granular resin.
E904 Shellac is a food additive classified as halal.

E904 Shellac is a resinous substance secreted by the lac beetle (Kerria lacca).
E904 Shellac is derived from living insects without slaughter and is used as a glazing agent and food coating.
While E904 Shellac comes from an animal source, it is produced by living insects through natural secretion, similar to honey and beeswax from bees.

E904 Shellac is a natural polymer produced by some insect species.
The shiny, glass-like surface on a jelly bean is not just aesthetically pleasing — E904 Shellac is functional.
E904 Shellac prevents the sweets from sticking together, protects them from moisture, and gives that satisfying crack when you bite through it.

That glossy finish most often comes from E904 Shellac.
And E904 Shellac comes from insects.
E904 Shellac is a kind of natural resin generated by Laccifer laccas which mainly parasitizes some tropical and subtropical trees in Southeast Asia and India.

Internationally, it is known as the E904 Shellac food additive, referring to the flame retardant and glazing ingredients.
The first usage of E904 Shellac could date back to 1000 years B.C. ago.
E904 Shellac food additive belongs to aromatic and fatty hydroxy acids and esters like aluretic and shellolic when analyzed anatomically.

E904 Shellac contains lactones, pigments, and insect wax, with the main active ingredient resin making up 80-90% of E60 additives.
E904 Shellac is insoluble in water, fats, acetone, and ether, while it showcases moderate solubility in alkalis and fatty alcohols and moderate solubility in benzene and ethanol.

E904 Shellac has a melting point of 80℃, and nice properties of water resistance, light resistance, and electrical insulating properties.
E904 Shellac is a resin secreted by the female lac bug, on trees in the forests of India and Thailand.
E904 Shellac is processed and sold as dry flakes and dissolved in ethanol to make liquid E904 Shellac, which is used as a brush-on colorant, food glaze and wood finish.

E904 Shellac functions as a tough natural primer, sanding sealant, tannin-blocker, odour-blocker, stain, and high-gloss varnish.
E904 Shellac (E904) is a natural resin produced by the insect Kerria lacca, which lives on trees in India and Thailand.
E904 Shellac is a substance that, once processed and purified, is widely used in the food industry as a food additive.

E904 Shellac is valued for its glazing properties, which makes food products look appetizing and fresh.
The safety of E904 Shellac as a food additive has been confirmed by international regulatory organizations such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), making E904 Shellac a popular choice among food manufacturers.

E904 Shellac is a well-known glazing agent that adds shine and protects the product from drying out.
E904 Shellac is also alcohol-soluble and easily moldable, allowing it to be used in a wide range of food products.
E904 Shellac's natural color can range from light yellow to dark brown, depending on the degree of purification.

E904 Shellac is a coating agent for chocolate and other confectionery, which gives high glaze and strong barrier against oxygen and humidity.
E904 Shellac is an approved food additive according to Annex IV of the EC Directive 95/2/EC.
E904 Shellac is recognized as safe in the FDA “Inactive Ingredients Guide”.

E904 Shellac belongs to the group of glazing agents.
In the food industry, E904 Shellac is used to give products an attractive shine, protect them from drying out, and extend their shelf life.
E904 Shellac is of natural origin.

E904 Shellac is obtained from natural raw materials, namely from the secretions of the insect Kerria lacca, which parasitizes the branches of tropical trees mainly in India and countries of Southeast Asia.
While feeding on plant sap, the insects cover the branches with a hard resin, which is collected, dried, and purified from impurities.

The raw material is then washed, melted, and filtered, resulting in purified E904 Shellac in the form of thin sheets or flakes.
After that, E904 Shellac is dissolved in approved solvents and used as a coating material.
E904 Shellac has been known to humanity for several centuries.

Initially, it was used as a natural varnish and protective coating for wood and musical instruments.
Over time, it was discovered that purified E904 Shellac is safe when ingested, and its properties are ideal for food and pharmaceutical applications.
Thus, E904 Shellac gradually found its place in food products.

From a chemical perspective, E904 Shellac is a complex mixture of natural polyesters.
E904 Shellac does not have a single defined chemical formula, as its composition may vary slightly depending on the source of raw materials.

E904 Shellac is a hard, resinous substance of yellowish-brown color, insoluble in water but readily soluble in ethanol and alkaline solutions.
E904 Shellac forms a strong, glossy film that is resistant to moisture.

USES and APPLICATIONS of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac is extensively used in the food industry as a glazing and polishing agent.
E904 Shellac is commonly applied to candies, chocolates, chewing gum, coated nuts, fruits, coffee beans, bakery decorations, and confectionery products to create a glossy protective surface.

Fresh fruits such as apples, citrus fruits, pears, avocados, and mangoes may be coated with E904 Shellac to reduce moisture loss and extend shelf life.
E904 Shellac is used as a protective coating and glazing agent in many food products, such as candies, fruits, nuts, dietary supplements and bakery products.

E904 Shellac helps keep products fresh by preventing moisture loss, and improves their appearance by giving them a glossy finish.
E904 Shellac was once used in electrical applications as it possesses good insulation qualities and it seals out moisture.
E904 Shellac, edible, is used as a glazing agent on pills and sweets, in the form of pharmaceutical glaze (or, confectioner's glaze).

Because of its acidic properties (resisting stomach acids), E904 Shellac-coated pills may be used for a timed enteric or colonic release.
E904 Shellac is used as a 'wax' coating on citrus fruit to prolong its shelf/storage life.
E904 Shellac is also used to replace the natural wax of the apple, which is removed during the cleaning process.

E904 Shellac coating applied with either a standard or modified Huon-Stuehrer nozzle, can be economically micro-sprayed onto various smooth sweets, such as chocolate coated peanuts.
In pharmaceutical manufacturing, E904 Shellac is used for tablet coatings, enteric coatings, capsule finishing, and controlled-release formulations.

E904 Shellac's film-forming ability helps protect active pharmaceutical ingredients from moisture and oxidation.
E904 Shellac is widely used in cosmetics and personal care products including hair sprays, mascaras, eyeliners, lip products, and nail polish because of its gloss and film durability.
In woodworking and furniture finishing, E904 Shellac serves as a traditional varnish and protective wood coating.

E904 Shellac provides high gloss, rapid drying, and excellent adhesion.
E904 Shellac is also used in printing inks, electrical insulation materials, adhesives, leather finishing, paper coatings, and decorative coatings.

Historically, E904 Shellac was widely used in gramophone records before synthetic plastics became dominant.
E904 Shellac is a natural resinous food additive primarily used as a glazing agent, coating material, and surface finishing agent in the food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and industrial sectors.
In the food industry, E904 Shellac is widely used to produce glossy coatings on confectionery products, chocolates, chewing gum, fruits, coffee beans, dietary supplements, and pharmaceutical tablets.

E904 Shellac forms a thin, shiny, moisture-resistant protective film that improves appearance, stability, and shelf life.
Because E904 Shellac is a natural resin, biodegradable, and edible under approved usage conditions, it is highly valued in food and pharmaceutical coating technologies.
E904 Shellac is also widely used in wood finishing, varnishes, printing inks, electrical insulation, cosmetics, nail polish, and surface coatings because of its excellent film-forming properties.

E904 Shellac is used to create a shiny surface, for example, in confectionery (lentils and jelly candies) or in products with a chocolate coating.
E904 Shellac can be used as a coating agent for tablets.
E904 Shellac can be found in dried fruits, nut kernels, or coffee beans.

E904 Shellac gives products a shiny appearance and prevents water and moisture loss - extending their shelf life (especially in fruits and vegetables).
In pharmacy, E904 Shellac is used to coat tablets.
In non-food environments, E904 Shellac can be found in adhesives, floor preparations, and in the leather industry.

E904 Shellac is a wax/resin secreted from the female lac bug.
E904 Shellac is used to cover fruits such as avocados and citrus fruits.
In the food industry, E904 Shellac is used as a glazing and coating agent.

Typical applications of E904 Shellac include: Hard candies, dragees, and chocolate confectionery, Fresh citrus fruits, apples, and other produce (as a surface treatment to extend shelf life), Bakery products and snack items, Vitamin tablets and dietary supplements (as a film coating).
The E904 Shellac coating protects food products from moisture loss, mechanical damage, and premature spoilage.

E904 Shellac also gives the surface a characteristic glossy appearance.
Uses of E904 Shellac: Tablet sealer; Varnish or glazing; Sweets, waxed fruit
Other Uses of E904 Shellac: Cosmetics, hair lacquer, tablets, mascara, jewellery

E904 Shellac is a food additive used as a glazing agent, also having emulsifying, anti-caking, thickening and stabilizing functions.
E904 Shellac is used as a glazing and defoaming ingredient in some food.
E904 Shellac is used to treat the surface of fresh fruits like oranges, peaches, pears, apples, and melons; E904 Shellac is also used as coating in candies, chocolates, flour products coated with sugar, coffee, chewing, and else.

Besides, E904 Shellac also be found the application in the pharmacy as the glazing coating of some tablets and pills.
E904 Shellac is a natural resin used as a glazing and coating agent on sweets, fresh fruit, and pharmaceutical tablets in the EU.
E904 Shellac is a natural resin secreted by the female lac bug (Kerria lacca), an insect that lives primarily on trees in South and Southeast Asia.

E904 Shellac has been used for centuries as a varnish, adhesive, and sealant, and it is now well established as a food and pharmaceutical additive.
Typically, E904 Shellac is used in practical production in the shape of thin sheets.

-E904 Shellac is used as a dilute solution in the sealing of harpsichord soundboards, protecting them from dust and buffering humidity changes while maintaining a barewood appearance.
In the tying of artificial flies for trout and salmon, where the E904 Shellac was used to seal all trimmed materials at the head of the fly.
In combination with wax for preserving and imparting a shine to citrus fruits, such as lemons.
In dental technology, where it is occasionally used in the production of custom impression trays and (partial) denture production.

-E904 Shellac is used as a binder in India ink.
For bicycles, as a protective and decorative coating for bicycle handlebar tape, and as a harddrying adhesive for tubular tyres, particularly for track racing.
For reattaching ink sacs when restoring vintage fountain pens, the orange variety preferably.
For fixing pads to the keycups of woodwind instruments.

-For Luthier applications, E904 Shellac is used to bind wood fibres down and prevent tear out on the soft spruce soundboards.
To stiffen and impart waterresistance to felt hats, for wood finishing and as a constituent of gossamer (or goss for short), a cheesecloth fabric coated in E904 Shellac and ammonia solution used in the shell of traditional silk top and riding hats.
For mounting insects, in the form of a gel adhesive mixture composed of 75% ethyl alcohol.

-E904 Shellac is used as a binder in the fabrication of abrasive wheels, imparting flexibility and smoothness not found in vitrified (ceramic bond) wheels. 
'Elastic' bonded wheels typically contain plaster of paris, yielding a stronger bond when mixed with E904 Shellac; the mixture of dry plaster powder, abrasive (e.g. corundum/aluminium oxide Al2O3), and E904 Shellac are heated and the mixture pressed in a mould.

-In fireworks pyrotechnic compositions as a lowtemperature fuel, where E904 Shellac allows the creation of pure 'greens' and 'blues' colours difficult to achieve with other fuel mixes.
In Jewellery; E904 Shellac is often applied to the top of a 'E904 Shellac stick' in order to hold small, complex, objects. 
By melting the E904 Shellac, the jeweller can press the object (such as a stone setting mount) into it. 
The E904 Shellac, once cool, can firmly hold the object  allowing it to be manipulated with tools.

-In watchmaking, due to its low melting temperature (about 80–100 °C (176–212 °F)), E904 Shellac is used in most mechanical movements to adjust and adhere pallet stones to the pallet fork and secure the roller jewel to the roller table of the balance wheel. 
Also for securing small parts to a 'wax chuck' ( faceplate ) in a watchmakers' lathe.
In the early twentieth century, E904 Shellac was used to protect some military rifle stocks.
In Jelly Belly jelly beans, in combination with beeswax to give them their final buff and polish.

-In modern traditional archery, E904 Shellac is one of the hotmelt glue/resin products used to attach arrowheads to wooden or bamboo arrow shafts.
Sanding sealer, is a solution of E904 Shellac dissolved in alcohol widely sold to seal sanded surfaces, typically wooden surfaces before a final coat of a more durable finish. 
Similar to French Polish but more dilute.

CURRENT USES of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac is the central element of the traditional "French polish" method of finishing furniture, fine string instruments, and pianos.
E904 Shellac, edible, is used as a glazing agent on pills (see excipient) and sweets, in the form of pharmaceutical glaze (or, "confectioner's glaze"). 
Because of E904 Shellac's acidic properties (resisting stomach acids), E904 Shellaccoated pills may be used for a timed enteric or colonic release. 

E904 Shellac is used as a 'wax' coating on citrus fruit to prolong its shelf/storage life. 
E904 Shellac is also used to replace the natural wax of the apple, which is removed during the cleaning process. 
When used for this purpose, E904 Shellac has the food additive E number E904.

E904 Shellac is an odour and stain blocker and so is often used as the base of "solves all problems" primers. 
Although E904 Shellac's durability against abrasives and many common solvents is not very good, E904 Shellac provides an excellent barrier against water vapour penetration. 
E904 Shellacbased primers are an effective sealant to control odours associated with fire damage.

E904 Shellac has traditionally been used as a dye for cotton and, especially, silk cloth in Thailand, particularly in the northeastern region. 
E904 Shellac yields a range of warm colours from pale yellow through to dark orangereds and dark ochre. 

Naturally dyed silk cloth, including that using E904 Shellac, is widely available in the rural northeast, especially in Ban Khwao District, Chaiyaphum province. 
The Thai name for the insect and the substance is "khrang".

WOOD FINISH USES of E904 SHELLAC:
Wood finishing is one of the most traditional and still popular uses of E904 Shellac mixed with solvents or alcohol. 
This dissolved E904 Shellac liquid, applied to a piece of wood, is an evaporative finish: the alcohol of the E904 Shellac mixture evaporates, leaving behind a protective film.
E904 Shellac as wood finish is natural and nontoxic in E904 Shellac's pure form. 

A finish made of E904 Shellac is UVresistant. 
For waterresistance and durability, E904 Shellac does not keep up with synthetic finishing products.
Because E904 Shellac is compatible with most other finishes, E904 Shellac is also used as a barrier or primer coat on wood to prevent the bleeding of resin or pigments into the final finish, or to prevent wood stain from blotching.

HISTORICAL USES of E904 SHELLAC:
In the early- and mid-twentieth century, orange E904 Shellac was used as a one-product finish (combination stain and varnish-like topcoat) on decorative wood panelling used on walls and ceilings in homes, particularly in the US.
In the American South, use of knotty pine plank panelling covered with orange E904 Shellac was once as common in new construction as drywall is today.

E904 Shellac was also often used on kitchen cabinets and hardwood floors, prior to the advent of polyurethane.
Until the advent of vinyl, most gramophone records were pressed from E904 Shellac compounds.
From 1921 to 1928, 18,000 tons of E904 Shellac were used to create 260 million records for Europe.

In the 1930s, it was estimated that half of all E904 Shellac was used for gramophone records.
Use of E904 Shellac for records was common until the 1950s and continued into the 1970s in some non-Western countries, as well as for some children's records.

Until recent advances in technology, E904 Shellac was the only glue used in the making of ballet dancers' pointe shoes, to stiffen the box (toe area) to support the dancer en pointe.
Many manufacturers of pointe shoes still use the traditional techniques, and many dancers use E904 Shellac to revive a softening pair of shoes.

E904 Shellac was historically used as a protective coating on paintings.
Sheets of Braille were coated with E904 Shellac to help protect them from wear due to being read by hand.

E904 Shellac was used from the mid-nineteenth century to produce small moulded goods such as picture frames, boxes, toilet articles, jewelry, inkwells and even dentures.
Advances in plastics have rendered E904 Shellac obsolete as a moulding compound.

E904 Shellac (both orange and white varieties) was used both in the field and laboratory to glue and stabilise dinosaur bones until about the mid-1960s.
While effective at the time, the long-term negative effects of E904 Shellac (being organic in nature) on dinosaur bones and other fossils is debated, and E904 Shellac is very rarely used by professional conservators and fossil preparators today.

E904 Shellac was used for fixing inductor, motor, generator and transformer windings.
E904 Shellac was applied directly to single-layer windings in an alcohol solution.
For multi-layer windings, the whole coil was submerged in E904 Shellac solution, then drained and placed in a warm location to allow the alcohol to evaporate.

The E904 Shellac locked the wire turns in place, provided extra insulation, prevented movement and vibration and reduced buzz and hum.
In motors and generators E904 Shellac also helps transfer force generated by magnetic attraction and repulsion from the windings to the rotor or armature.

In more recent times, E904 Shellac has been replaced in these applications by synthetic resins such as polyester resin.
Some applications use E904 Shellac mixed with other natural or synthetic resins, such as pine resin or phenol-formaldehyde resin, of which Bakelite is the best known, for electrical use.

Mixed with other resins, barium sulfate, calcium carbonate, zinc sulfide, aluminium oxide and/or cuprous carbonate (malachite), E904 Shellac forms a component of heat-cured capping cement used to fasten the caps or bases to the bulbs of electric lamps
When used in food and confections, E904 Shellac has the food additive number E904, and is described on food labels as ‘confectioner’s glaze’, ‘confectioner’s resin’, ‘resinous glaze’, ‘candy glaze’, ‘pure food glaze’ and ‘natural glaze’.

The main uses of E904 Shellac in confectionery are to do with coating chocolate goods, such as candy-covered nuts and raisins, and similar products.
But what many people may not realize is that E904 Shellac’s also used as a coating on some nutritional supplements, medicines, fruit, and even coffee beans.

Laccifer lacca is a small insect about the size and color of an apple seed, which swarms on certain trees in India and Thailand.
During the larval stage of its life-cycle, the lac insect creates a hard, waterproof, communal protective shell as a cocoon in which to mature and then mate.
The encrusted resin that forms this shell is scraped off the branches where the insects nest.

This raw material, known as ‘sticklac’, as well as being the basis for E904 Shellac, is also used for the production of ‘lac dye’, a red pigment from the crushed bodies of the insects, much like cochineal or carmine.
If lac dye is the primary product being made, the lac resin is harvested before the males have emerged from their cocoons, and the sticklac is dried in the sun to kill the beetles.

WHAT E904 SHELLAC IS AND WHERE IT COMES FROM:
E904 Shellac is a natural resin secreted by the female lac insect (Kerria lacca, formerly Laccifer lacca), a scale insect native to South and Southeast Asia.
The insects live on host trees and produce the lac resin as a protective casing for their eggs.
Harvesting E904 Shellac involves scraping this resin from the tree branches.

The raw lac resin is then processed — washed, filtered, and refined — to produce dewaxed E904 Shellac flakes, which can be dissolved in alcohol to create the liquid E904 Shellac glazing agent used in food and pharmaceutical applications.
E904 Shellac has been used in food glazing for over a century.

E904 Shellac was one of the first natural food glazing agents, predating synthetic alternatives.
Today E904 Shellac is used in food production primarily as a glazing agent (to create a shiny surface) and as a coating agent in pharmaceuticals.

KEY PROPERTIES OF E904 SHELLAC INCLUDE:
Insoluble in water, but soluble in alcohol
Thermoplastic (can be shaped when heated)
Biodegradable and of natural origin
Tasteless and odorless when used as a food additive

PRODUCTION AND PROPERTIES of E904 SHELLAC:
Female lac bugs secrete a resinous substance that coats the branches of host trees.
This secretion is harvested, refined, and processed into E904 Shellac flakes or dissolved in alcohol to form a liquid coating.

BENEFITS of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac provides excellent glossy appearance enhancement.
E904 Shellac forms strong protective coatings that improve product stability and shelf life.

E904 Shellac reduces moisture loss and surface oxidation.
E904 Shellac is biodegradable and derived from natural renewable sources.
E904 Shellac possesses excellent adhesion and film-forming properties.

E904 Shellac demonstrates good compatibility with many coating systems and formulations.
E904 Shellac dries rapidly in alcohol-based systems.

E904 Shellac coatings improve resistance to handling damage and environmental exposure.
E904 Shellac is effective at relatively low application levels.

E904 Shellac contributes to improved visual quality and commercial attractiveness of food products.
E904 Shellac is produced from lac secretions deposited by the lac insect on tree branches.
The raw material is harvested, crushed, washed, filtered, and refined to remove impurities before commercial use.

The main chemical composition of E904 Shellac consists of complex polyesters formed from hydroxy fatty acids and sesquiterpene acids.
Different grades of E904 Shellac exist, including bleached E904 Shellac, dewaxed E904 Shellac, orange E904 Shellac, and food-grade refined E904 Shellac.

E904 Shellac has been used for hundreds of years in coatings, decorative arts, food glazing, and protective finishes.
Because E904 Shellac originates from insects, some vegan consumers may avoid products containing E904 Shellac.
Despite the availability of synthetic alternatives, E904 Shellac remains commercially important because of its natural origin, gloss properties, and multifunctional coating behavior.

E904 SHELLAC AND ITS FUNCTIONS IN FOOD:
In the food industry, E904 Shellac functions mainly as a glazing agent, giving products the desired sheen and improving their overall appearance.
E904 Shellac also provides an additional protective layer that can extend the shelf life of foods by insulating them from air and moisture.
As a food additive, E904 Shellac is valued for its natural origin and safe use.

CHARACTERISTICS of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac is highly valued because it is a natural, edible, biodegradable resin with excellent coating and glazing properties.
One of the most important characteristics of E904 Shellac is its ability to form smooth, glossy, protective films on food and pharmaceutical products.

E904 Shellac provides an attractive shiny appearance while simultaneously acting as a moisture barrier that helps reduce dehydration and oxidation.
This protective coating, E904 Shellac, improves product shelf life, appearance, and resistance to environmental conditions.

E904 Shellac demonstrates excellent adhesion to many surfaces including confectionery, fruits, tablets, capsules, wood, and packaging materials.
E904 Shellac possesses good mechanical strength and forms durable coatings after drying.
E904 Shellac coatings are also relatively resistant to oils and moderate moisture exposure.

Because E904 Shellac dissolves readily in ethanol and alkaline solutions, it is easy to formulate into coatings, varnishes, and finishing systems.
E904 Shellac is considered one of the oldest natural industrial resins and has been used commercially for centuries in food, wood finishing, printing, and pharmaceuticals.

WHAT IS E904 SHELLAC USED FOR IN OTHER INDUSTRIES?
E904 Shellac is used to produce oil paints, varnishes, and polishes for wooden musical instruments and furniture.
E904 Shellac was also used to manufacture the records before the invention of vinyl in the 1940s.

E904 Shellac is also a key component in polyethylene film and aluminum foil.
E904 Shellac helps to stiffen textiles and serves as an electrical insulating varnish for coils and electronic components.

Additionally, E904 Shellac finds application in the beauty industry, with some cosmetics and nail polishes containing it.
So far, there is not enough evidence to prove that E904 Shellac, or E904 food additive is unsafe when used in food production, and it is derived from natural resin, therefore, we can see it is taken as a big selling point on many products.

Conclusion:
Now we can get the conclusion that the E904 food additive, commonly known as E904 Shellac, is a versatile food additive derived from natural resin generated by insects.
E904 Shellac found wide application of this substance in various industries: glazing agents in the food industry, coating of pills in pharmacies, paints in wooden musical instruments and furniture industry as well as electronic devices and cosmetics.

PROPERTIES of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac is a natural bioadhesive polymer and is chemically similar to synthetic polymers.
E904 Shellac can thus be considered a natural form of plastic.
The chief components are 9,10,15-trihydroxypentadecanoic acid and (2R,6S,7R,10S)-10-hydroxy-6-(hydroxymethyl)-6-methyltricyclo[5.3.1.01,5]undec-8-ene-2,8-dicarboxylic acid, molecular formula C30H50O11 with a molecular weight of 586.7 g/mol.

With a melting point of 75 °C (167 °F), E904 Shellac can be classed as a thermoplastic used to bind wood flour, the mixture can be moulded with heat and pressure.
E904 Shellac scratches more easily than most lacquers and varnishes, and application is more labour-intensive, which is why it has been replaced by plastic in most areas.

E904 Shellac is much softer than Urushi lacquer, for instance, which is far superior with regard to both chemical and mechanical resistance.
But damaged E904 Shellac can easily be touched up with another coat of E904 Shellac (unlike polyurethane, which chemically cures to a solid) because the new coat merges with and bonds to the existing coat(s).

E904 Shellac is soluble in alkaline solutions of ammonia, sodium borate, sodium carbonate, and sodium hydroxide, and also in various organic solvents.
When dissolved in alcohol (typically denatured ethanol) for application, E904 Shellac yields a coating of good durability and hardness.

Upon mild hydrolysis E904 Shellac gives a complex mix of aliphatic and alicyclic hydroxy acids and their polymers that varies in exact composition depending upon the source of the E904 Shellac and the season of collection.
The major component of the aliphatic component is aleuritic acid, whereas the main alicyclic component is shellolic acid.
E904 Shellac is UV-resistant, and does not darken as it ages (though the wood under it may do so, as in the case of pine).

FUNCTIONS of E904 SHELLAC:
Emollient 
E904 Shellac softens and soothes the skin.
E904 Shellac helps with skin conditioning.
Glazing Agent 
E904 Shellac is a waxy coating which provides protection and prevents water loss
Hair Fixative 
E904 Shellac sets the hairstyle in place and prevents hair frizziness

ETYMOLOGY of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac comes from shell and lac, a calque of French laque en écailles, 'lac in thin pieces', later gommelaque, 'gum lac'. Most European languages (except Romance ones and Greek) have borrowed the word for the substance from English or from the German equivalent Schellack.

PRODUCTION of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac is a polyester resin obtained from the resinous secretion of the insect Laccifer (Lachardia) lacca Kerr (family Coccidae).
For bleaching, E904 Shellac is dissolved in an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate and the actual bleaching is carried out with a solution of sodium hypochlorite, followed by precipitation of the bleached E904 Shellac with dilute sulfuric acid and drying of the resulting product.
Dewaxed E904 Shellac is prepared by further processing, in which the waxes present are removed by filtration.
E904 Shellac is produced mainly in India.

PRODUCTION of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac is scraped from the bark of the trees where the female lac bug, Kerria lacca (order Hemiptera, family Kerriidae, also known as Laccifer lacca), secretes E904 Shellac to form a tunnellike tube as E904 Shellac traverses the branches of the tree. 
Though these tunnels are sometimes referred to as "cocoons", they are not cocoons in the entomological sense. 
This insect is in the same superfamily as the insect from which cochineal is obtained. 
The insects suck the sap of the tree and excrete "sticklac" almost constantly. 

The leastcoloured E904 Shellac is produced when the insects feed on the kusum tree.
The number of lac bugs required to produce 1 kilogram (2.2 lb) of E904 Shellac has variously been estimated as 50,000, 200,000, or 300,000. 
The root word lakh is a unit in Indian numbering system for 100,000 and presumably refers to the huge numbers of insects that swarm on host trees, up to 150 per square inch (23/cm2).

The raw E904 Shellac, which contains bark shavings and lac bugs removed during scraping, is placed in canvas tubes (much like long socks) and heated over a fire. 
This causes the E904 Shellac to liquefy, and it seeps out of the canvas, leaving the bark and bugs behind. 
The thick, sticky E904 Shellac is then dried into a flat sheet and broken into flakes, or dried into "buttons" (pucks/cakes), then bagged and sold. 

The enduser then crushes it into a fine powder and mixes it with ethyl alcohol before use, to dissolve the flakes and make liquid E904 Shellac.
Liquid E904 Shellac has a limited shelf life (about 1 year), so is sold in dry form for dissolution before use. 
Liquid E904 Shellac sold in hardware stores is often marked with the production (mixing) date, so the consumer can know whether the E904 Shellac inside is still good. 

Some manufacturers (e.g., Zinsser) have ceased labeling E904 Shellac with the production date, but the production date may be discernible from the production lot code. 
Alternatively, old E904 Shellac may be tested to see if it is still usable: a few drops on glass should dry to a hard surface in roughly 15 minutes. 
E904 Shellac that remains tacky for a long time is no longer usable. 
Storage life depends on peak temperature, so refrigeration extends shelf life.

The thickness (concentration) of E904 Shellac is measured by the unit "pound cut", referring to the amount (in pounds) of E904 Shellac flakes dissolved in a gallon of denatured alcohol. 
For example: a 1lb. cut of E904 Shellac is the strength obtained by dissolving one pound of E904 Shellac flakes in a gallon of alcohol (equivalent to 120 grams per litre). 
Most premixed commercial preparations come at a 3lb. cut. 

Multiple thin layers of E904 Shellac produce a significantly better end result than a few thick layers. 
Thick layers of E904 Shellac do not adhere to the substrate or to each other well, and thus can peel off with relative ease; in addition, thick E904 Shellac will obscure fine details in carved designs in wood and other substrates.
E904 Shellac naturally dries to a highgloss sheen. 
For applications where a flatter (less shiny) sheen is desired, products containing amorphous silica, such as "E904 Shellac Flat", may be added to the dissolved E904 Shellac.

E904 Shellac naturally contains a small amount of wax (3%–5% by volume), which comes from the lac bug. 
In some preparations, this wax is removed (the resulting product being called "dewaxed E904 Shellac"). 
This is done for applications where the E904 Shellac will be coated with something else (such as paint or varnish), so the topcoat will adhere. 
Waxy (nondewaxed) E904 Shellac appears milky in liquid form, but dries clear.

COLOURS and AVAILABILITY of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac comes in many warm colours, ranging from a very light blonde ("platina") to a very dark brown ("garnet"), with many varieties of brown, yellow, orange and red in between. 
The colour is influenced by the sap of the tree the lac bug is living on and by the time of harvest. 
Historically, the most commonly sold E904 Shellac is called "orange E904 Shellac", and was used extensively as a combination stain and protectant for wood panelling and cabinetry in the 20th century.

E904 Shellac was once very common anywhere paints or varnishes were sold (such as hardware stores). 
However, cheaper and more abrasion and chemicalresistant finishes, such as polyurethane, have almost completely replaced E904 Shellac in decorative residential wood finishing such as hardwood floors, wooden wainscoting plank panelling, and kitchen cabinets. 
These alternative products, however, must be applied over a stain if the user wants the wood to be coloured; clear or blonde E904 Shellac may be applied over a stain without affecting the colour of the finished piece, as a protective topcoat. 
"Wax over E904 Shellac" (an application of buffedon paste wax over several coats of E904 Shellac) is often regarded as a beautiful, if fragile, finish for hardwood floors. 

Luthiers still use E904 Shellac to French polish fine acoustic stringed instruments, but E904 Shellac has been replaced by synthetic plastic lacquers and varnishes in many workshops, especially highvolume production environments.
E904 Shellac dissolved in alcohol, typically more dilute than FrenchPolish, is now commonly sold as "sanding sealer" by several companies. 
E904 Shellac is used to seal wooden surfaces, often as preparation for a final more durable finish; E904 Shellac reduces the amount of final coating required by reducing E904 Shellac's absorption into the wood.

A few coats of E904 Shellac add color and depth—even to hohum woods like pine—that you can’t get with other finishes. 
Going Green:
E904 Shellac doesn’t exactly grow on trees, but lac, an insect secretion, is havested off tree bark. 
In addition to being a renewable resource, E904 Shellac is one of the least toxic wood finishes. 
E904 Shellac is still used as a glazing agent on pills and candies.

Many shades of E904 Shellac:
E904 Shellac is sold in a variety of different colors. 
When starting out, you may want to stick with darker E904 Shellacs on darker woods (use garnet to spice up kilndried walnut) and lighter E904 Shellacs on light woods (blonde flakes add a hint of color to maple), but as you’ll soon discover, E904 Shellac can serve as an effective dye toner. 
Unlike pigment stains, E904 Shellac adds rich, warm tones without obscuring the grain.

The best way to explore E904 Shellac’s possibilities is to make a few sample boards like those shown above. 
To finetune your hues, you can apply one shade over another, combine different E904 Shellacs to make a custom blend, or add an alcoholsoluble dye. 
As you’ll see, E904 Shellac’s color will darken with each additional coat, but what you see is what you’ll get—for good. Unlike some varnishes or lacquers, E904 Shellac doesn’t yellow or become cloudy with age.

There are five commonly available grades of E904 Shellac from least refined to most refined: 
Seedlac
Buttonlac
Garnet
Orange
Super blonde. 

SeedLac is simply collected from the trees, washed and dried. 
SeedLac still contain leaves, sticks and bug parts. 
Buttonlac has been filtered a bit. 
Buttonlac has a rich, dark brown color. 

Garnet is a little lighter colored and has more red than Buttonlac. 
Orange E904 Shellac is probably the most familiar grade to consumers. 
Super Blonde E904 Shellac is the most highly refined. 
Super Blonde E904 Shellac has most of the color and all the wax removed. 
All dry E904 Shellacs should be strained through a fine filter after mixing.

HISTORY of E904 SHELLAC:
The earliest written evidence of E904 Shellac goes back 3,000 years, but E904 Shellac is known to have been used earlier. 
According to the ancient Indian epic poem, the Mahabharata, an entire palace was built out of dried E904 Shellac.
E904 Shellac was in rare use as a dyestuff for as long as there was a trade with the East Indies. 
Merrifield cites 1220 for the introduction of E904 Shellac as an artist's pigment in Spain. 
Lapis lazuli, an ultramarine pigment from Afghanistan, was already being imported long before this.

The use of overall paint or varnish decoration on large pieces of furniture was first popularised in Venice (then later throughout Italy). 
There are a number of 13thcentury references to painted or varnished cassone, often dowry cassone that were made deliberately impressive as part of dynastic marriages. 
The definition of varnish is not always clear, but it seems to have been a spirit varnish based on gum benjamin or mastic, both traded around the Mediterranean. 

At some time, E904 Shellac began to be used as well. 
An article from the Journal of the American Institute of Conservation describes using infrared spectroscopy to identify E904 Shellac coating on a 16thcentury cassone. 
This is also the period in history where "varnisher" was identified as a distinct trade, separate from both carpenter and artist.

Another use for E904 Shellac is sealing wax. 
Woods's The Nature and Treatment of Wax and E904 Shellac Seals discusses the various formulations, and the period when E904 Shellac started to be added to the previous beeswax recipes.
The "period of widespread introduction" would seem to be around 1550 to 1650, when the substance moved from being a rarity on highly decorated pieces to being described in the standard texts of the day.

Lac has been cultivated for three centuries. 
For most of that time, the lac bug secretions were valued for the purplered dye derived from being soaked in water. 
This dye was used to color silk, leather, and cosmetics and was cultivated primarily for this purpose until the 1870s. 
Then aniline or chemical dyes began to supplant these and other natural dyes.

As early as the sixteenth century, references were made to the usefulness of the lac bug secretions as a decorative lacquer for furniture and fine musical instruments. 
Natives of the Far East had laboriously cultivated and processed the E904 Shellac by hand, scraping the branches encrusted with the lac bug secretions, forcing the secretions into muslin, and holding long muslin bags of the secretions over the fire to liquefy and purify it. 
They pulled it by hand into huge sheets and then broke the sheets into flakes for remoisturizing later.

Hand processes were partially replaced by the midnineteenth century. 
Just as the lac derived dye was about to fade in popularity, industrial plants began processing the lac secretions for use as a wood sealer and finish. 
In 1849, William Zinsser founded Wm. Zinsser & Company in New York. Zinsser's E904 Shellacs were soluble in ethyl alcohol and were the first quickdrying, tough, colorless

E904 Shellac finishes available in the United States. 
E904 Shellac was particularly popular late in the nineteenth century and in the early twentieth century when houses were being quickly built in early subdivisions at breakneck speed—E904 Shellac was an ideal wood finisher because E904 Shellac was so fast to dry and several coats could be applied in a single day. 
A E904 Shellac known as buttonlac, a very dark E904 Shellac, imparted a very deep walnut color to inexpensive woodwork that people then found very desirable.

BENEFITS of E904 SHELLAC:
E904 Shellac is not a natural component of the human body and does not perform any nutritional or biological function.
At the same time, it is considered an inert substance that is practically not absorbed.
In 2024, EFSA conducted a re-evaluation of food additive E904 and established an acceptable daily intake (ADI) for dewaxed E904 Shellac at 4 mg/kg of body weight per day.
According to available data, the use of E904 Shellac in permitted amounts does not pose a risk to consumer health.

PHYSICAL and CHEMICAL PROPERTIES of E904 SHELLAC:
DryPowder; OtherSolid; PelletsLargeCrystals; WetSolid
-Bleached shellac — off-white, amorphous, granular resin; Wax-free bleached shellac — light yellow, amorphous, granular resin
Molecular Weight: 586.7
Solubility: Insoluble in water; freely (though very slowly) soluble in alcohol; slightly soluble in acetone.
Acid Value: Between 60 and 89
Appearance Form: solid
Odour: No data available
Odour Threshold: No data available

pH: No data available
Melting point/freezing point: No data available
Initial boiling point and boiling range: No data available
Flash point: No data available
Evaporation rate: No data available
Flammability (solid, gas): No data available
Upper/lower flammability or explosive limits: No data available
Vapour pressure: No data available
Vapour density: No data available

Relative density: No data available
Water solubility: No data available
Partition coefficient: n-octanol/water: No data available
Auto-ignition temperature: No data available
Decomposition temperature: No data available
Viscosity: No data available
Explosive properties: No data available
Oxidizing properties: No data available

Chemical Name: Shellac
E Number: E904
CAS Number: 9000-59-3
EC Number: 232-549-9
Chemical Formula: Complex natural polyester resin (no single fixed molecular formula)
General Formula: Mixture of polyhydroxy aliphatic and sesquiterpene acids
Molecular Weight: Variable polymeric molecular weight
Chemical Family: Natural resin / Polyester resin
Appearance: Yellow, orange, amber, or pale brown flakes, powder, or solid resin

Chemical Name: Shellac
E Number: E904
CAS Number: 9000-59-3
EC Number: 232-549-9
Appearance: Amber, yellow, orange, or pale brown resin flakes or powder
Physical State: Solid resin
Odor: Mild characteristic resinous odor
Taste: Slightly resinous
Chemical Nature: Natural polyester resin

Density: Approximately 1.0 – 1.2 g/cm³
Melting Point: Softens around 65°C – 85°C
Glass Transition Temperature: Approximately 40°C – 50°C
Water Solubility: Practically insoluble in water
Alcohol Solubility: Soluble in ethanol and alkaline solutions
pH Stability: Stable under mildly acidic to neutral conditions
Film Forming Ability: Excellent

Gloss Properties: High gloss capability
Moisture Resistance: Good moisture barrier properties
Oxygen Barrier Properties: Moderate
Thermal Stability: Good under standard food processing conditions
Chemical Stability: Stable under normal storage conditions
Biodegradability: Biodegradable natural resin
Viscosity: Variable depending on formulation and solvent system
Adhesion Properties: Excellent adhesion to surfaces

Surface Hardness: Good hardness after drying
Drying Characteristics: Fast drying in alcohol solutions
Emulsifiability: Can form emulsions under suitable processing conditions
Electrical Insulation Properties: Good dielectric properties
Flammability: Combustible organic material
Compatibility: Compatible with waxes, resins, pigments, and coatings
Shelf Stability: Long shelf life when stored properly
Color Stability: Moderate stability; may darken over time under heat and light exposure

FIRST AID MEASURES of E904 SHELLAC:
-Description of first aid measures:
*If inhaled:
If breathed in, move person into fresh air. 
If not breathing, give artificial respiration.
*In case of skin contact:
Wash off with soap and plenty of water.
*In case of eye contact:
Flush eyes with water as a precaution.
*If swallowed:
Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person. 
Rinse mouth with water.

ACCIDENTAL RELEASE MEASURES of E904 SHELLAC:
-Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures:
-Environmental precautions:
Do not let product enter drains.
-Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Sweep up and shovel. 
Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.

FIRE FIGHTING MEASURES of E904 SHELLAC:
-Extinguishing media:
Suitable extinguishing media:
Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.
-Advice for firefighters:
Wear self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighting if necessary.
-Further information: No data available

EXPOSURE CONTROLS/PERSONAL PROTECTION of E904 SHELLAC:
-Control parameters:
Components with workplace control parameters:
-Exposure controls:
Appropriate engineering controls:
General industrial hygiene practice.
-Personal protective equipment:
*Eye/face protection:
Use equipment for eye protection tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or EN 166(EU).
*Skin protection:
Handle with gloves. 
Gloves must be inspected prior to use. 
Use proper glove removal technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product. 
Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and good laboratory practices. 
Wash and dry hands.
The selected protective gloves have to satisfy the specifications of Regulation (EU) 2016/425 and the standard EN 374 derived from it.
Full contact:
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0,11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Splash contact
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0,11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
*Respiratory protection:
Respiratory protection is not required. 
Where protection from nuisance levels of dusts are desired, use type N95 (US) or type P1 (EN 143) dust masks. 
Use respirators and components tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or CEN (EU).
-Control of environmental exposure:
Do not let product enter drains.

HANDLING and STORAGE of E904 SHELLAC:
-Precautions for safe handling:
-Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
Store in cool place. 
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.
Storage:
Once shellac flakes are mixed with alcohol, the mixture has a shelf life of no more than a year and a half. 
Keeping Shellac cool will increase mixed shellac's shelf life. 
If you buy off-the-shelf pre-mixed shellac, always test Shellac for drying by putting several drops on a nonporous surface. 
Leave a thick drop or two, spread the rest into a thin layer, and let Shellac dry all night. 
By the next day, the thin layer should be dry and sandable. 
The thicker drop shouldn't easily take an imprint from your thumbnail. 
If Shellac does, Shellac may be usable but questionable—give Shellac another day or two of test-drying before using it.

STABILITY and REACTIVITY of E904 SHELLAC:
-Reactivity: No data available
-Chemical stability: Stable under recommended storage conditions.
-Possibility of hazardous reactions: No data available
-Conditions to avoid: No data available