bee's wax

Chemical properties

white to yellowish-white pieces or plates

Chemical properties

White wax consists of tasteless, white or slightly yellow-colored sheets or fine granules with some translucence. Its odor is similar to that of yellow wax but is less intense.

Chemical properties

Beeswax absolute is obtained by alcohol extraction of beeswax. The yield is generally less than 1%.The yellowish-brown, viscous product has a mild, honey-like odor, and high tenacity; it is used almost exclusively in fine fragrances.

Chemical properties

Crude yellow beeswax is harvested together with honey and represents a secondary secretion of the bee. Once the honey is recovered from the honeycomb by draining the cells, the wax combs are washed with water, melted and poured into molds to harden. The wax is refined by melting in hot water to which sulfuric acid or alkali may be added to extract impurities. The resulting wax is referred to as yellow beeswax. Yellow beeswax contains cerolein, a mixture of fatty acids and soluble in hot alcohol and slightly soluble in cold alcohol; myricyl alcohol and myricyl palmitate, insoluble in alcohol. Beeswax is produced worldwide with the same chemical composition. The odor may vary slightly, depending on the source.

Physical properties

It is a yellowish to grayish-brown solid, somewhat brittle when cold, and presents a dull granular, noncrystalline fracture when broken. It becomes pliable at about 35°C.

Occurrence

Wax from the honeycomb of the bee, Apis mellifera L.

The Uses of bee's wax

Beeswax is used to produce edible films (sodium caseinate, soy protein isolate etc.). It can form a mixture with a variety of fatty acids and polyols to provide flexibile, elastic and stretchable films. It also decreases the water vapor permeability and enhances the mechanical properties of the film.

The Uses of bee's wax

Beeswax is used to produce edible films (sodium caseinate, soy protein isolate, etc.). It can form a mixture with a variety of fatty acids and polyols to provide flexibile, elastic and stretchable films. It also decreases the water vapor permeability and enhances the mechanical properties of the film.

Production Methods

Yellow wax (beeswax) is obtained from the honeycomb of the bee (Apis mellifera Linne′ (Fam. Apidae)); see Wax, Yellow. Subsequent treatment with oxidizing agents bleaches the wax to yield white wax.

Preparation

By alcoholic extraction of the raw wax(Fenarolfs Handbook of Flavor Ingredients, 1975).

Definition

The wax obtained from the honeycomb of the bee. It consists primarily of myricyl palmitate, cerotic acid esters and some high-carbon paraffins.

General Description

Beeswax is a natural wax that is formed from honeybee Apis mellifera. It is a lipid that contains hydrocarbons, esters and free acids, which can be used to lower the transference of water on films.

Pharmaceutical Applications

White wax is a chemically bleached form of yellow wax and is used in similar applications: for example, to increase the consistency of creams and ointments, and to stabilize water-in-oil emulsions. White wax is used to polish sugar-coated tablets and to adjust the melting point of suppositories.
White wax is also used as a film coating in sustained-release tablets. White beeswax microspheres may be used in oral dosage forms to retard the absorption of an active ingredient from the stomach, allowing the majority of absorption to occur in the intestinal tract.Wax coatings can also be used to affect the release of drug from ion-exchange resin beads.

Safety Profile

A mdd allergen. Combustible when heated.

Safety

White wax is used in both topical and oral formulations, and is generally regarded as an essentially nontoxic and nonirritant material. However, although rare, hypersensitivity reactions to beeswax (attributed to contaminants in the wax) have been reported.

storage

When the wax is heated above 150℃, esterification occurs with a consequent lowering of acid value and elevation of melting point. White wax is stable when stored in a well-closed container, protected from light.

Incompatibilities

Incompatible with oxidizing agents.

Regulatory Status

GRAS listed. Accepted for use as a food additive in Europe. Included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Database (oral capsules and tablets; rectal, topical, and vaginal preparations). Included in nonparenteral medicines licensed in the UK. Included in the Canadian List of Acceptable Non-medicinal Ingredients.