Food Grade Alcohol: Definition and Uses

Beer. Champagne. Happy hour cocktails. They all contain one ingredient; alcohol. More specifically, food-grade ethanol. The solvent is not only found in those drinks, but you can also use it when baking, making cosmetic products, or extracting cannabis oil.

But what is food-grade alcohol? How is it different from ethanol found in hospitals or the beauty industry? Read on to find out all about it.

What is Food Grade Alcohol?

Companies extract food-grade alcohol from the fermentation of starch-containing plants such as cereals, beets, or sugarcane using yeast cells. They then concentrate ethanol through fractional distillation.

Non-denatured alcohol, grain alcohol, 190 proof grain, food-grade EtOH, anhydrous ethanol (no water) are various ways vendors can label food-grade alcohol for the market. 

And the solvent is safe for human consumption because it doesn’t contain additives. Companies sell the ethanol as a tincture, extract or concentrate. 

Differences Between Food Grade and Denatured Alcohol

Denatured alcohol is helpful as a cleaning agent in the laboratory or kitchen where ethanol application comes into contact with many people. 

The solvent has toxic additives such as methanol, acetone, isopropyl alcohol, methyl ethyl ketone, or methyl isobutyl ketone, which give it a foul smell and taste unsuitable for consumption. The denaturants also cause nausea, but they don’t interfere with the effectiveness of the alcohol.

On the other hand, food-grade alcohol is helpful in industrial processes involving food products. In its pure form, ethanol evaporates fast, has antimicrobial properties, and is tolerable in the human body.

Uses of Food-Grade Alcohol

Hemp and Cannabis Extraction

Cannabis extraction design consultants use food-grade ethanol to extract cannabis oil from hemp or cannabis biomass. The solvent is safer to handle and healthier than any other hydrocarbon extraction method. 

Moreover, ethanol is ideal for small, medium, and large-scale hemp processors. That’s because the solvent has a high evaporation rate and is easy to separate from cannabis oil. Specialized equipment can also trap the alcohol and re-use it in the extraction process, hence very economical. 

Used in the Food Industry

Bakers use food-grade alcohol when decorating cakes by airbrushing. That is because they like a solvent that evaporates quickly without leaving residues or flavors behind. And all the while, you get to keep the food safe and non-toxic. 

You can also soak vanilla pods, citrus, or some roots in food-grade ethanol to help extract their respective flavors in a pristine condition. You can then use the flavors in making drinks or baking.

Manufacturers use food-grade alcohol to make beers, liquors, and spirits sold in bars. When consumed, ethanol induces a stimulant effect on the brain and causes muscle relaxation. Hence, many people use it to help them wind down after a long day. However, take caution and keep your consumption rate within low ranges as alcohol has a high addiction potential leading to alcoholism.

Used in the Beauty Industry

The cosmetic industry uses alcohol in perfumes, lotions, deodorants, and soaps. Because the solvent is safe for use on the skin in the short and long term. And ethanol is also good in mixing the essential oils found in those products. 

And thus, industries use food-grade alcohol to prevent the spread of pathogens among users. That health benefit is because alcohol is also a good antifungal, antibacterial, and antiviral agent.

Used as a Cleaning Agent and Making Sanitizers

People use food-grade alcohol at home to clean mirrors, electronics, and other items as the solvent doesn’t leave streaks, unlike water. Moreover, the ethanol doesn’t damage household surfaces and kills germs with its antimicrobial properties. Alcohol is also suitable for removing tough grease or ink stains on clothes because it dissolves the dirt well, making the garments easy to clean.

Used as Fuel

Food-grade alcohol burns with a clean flame and produces harmless vapor. Therefore, you can use ethanol as a fuel source for camp and boat stoves.

Used in Carpentry

Woodworkers use ethanol in French polishing. They utilize that technique by first making a shellac thinner for spirit varnish. When applied, the varnish gives a high-quality finish for guitars, violins, mandolins, and other string instruments. Moreover, the thinner is a powerful and non-toxic solution that doesn’t emit harmful vapors.

Used in Making Pharmaceutical Products

Pharmaceutical companies use food-grade alcohol as a potent carrier for cough preparations, iodine solutions, decongestants, pills, vitamins, and more. That function is due to the unique safety and non-toxic properties of alcohol.

Conclusion

Food-grade or non-denatured alcohol is pure ethanol with no additives such as methanol, acetone, or isopropyl alcohol. The solvent is thus different from denatured alcohol because it is safe for human consumption. That makes the alcohol ideal for use in various industries as an agent in making beer, food preservation, hemp extraction, or cleaning. 

Writer’s bio: Hemptasy is a well-established CBD blog where you can find information about all things CBD, hemp, and cannabis.

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