Why rosin glycerides are still a safe additive

Rosin glyceryl ester, also known as ester gum, is an extremely adaptable resin used in a variety of industries, including inks, coatings and adhesives. Its special food applications in beverages and chewing gum result from its unique functionality.

What is rosin glyceride ester of rosin?
Rosin glyceride is a food additive. Its main component is rosin acid triglyceride, and there are small amounts of rosin acid diglyceride and monoglyceride, but there is no clear chemical structural formula. In the food field, it can be used as a basic raw material for gum-based candies, food flavorings, processing aids, etc.

Why is rosin glyceride a safe additive?
The use of wood rosin glycerides (GEWR) as a beverage weighting agent (BWA) for citrus flavored beverages is an interesting example. The proposal has been developed through an ongoing process of collaboration between beverage consumers and regulatory organizations. Food applications require thorough testing to demonstrate safety and comply with all international regulations.

The safety of GEWR was demonstrated for the first time following extensive toxicological studies and is supported by fifty years of use in beverage manufacturing around the world. Consumers around the world expect all food additive manufacturers to continually work to maintain product safety, as evidenced by their active support of the regulatory process.

According to scientific opinions published by the European Food Safety Authority in 2010 and 2018, an effective safety assessment of rosin glycerides in food applications should take into account species-specific characteristics and require appropriate compositional and toxicological data. This testing framework to ensure the safety of food additives was the basis for the approval of the original GEWR, which is produced from longleaf and slash pine.

Beverage Weightening Agent Technology
Several citrus-flavored beverages (including carbonated soft drinks and sports drinks) are emulsions of flavored oils in water. These beverages present technical challenges as they require the production of emulsions that are stable under a variety of storage and handling conditions in the form of concentrates, syrups, and diluted beverages.

Oil droplets that migrate to the surface of the liquid due to beverage instability can adversely affect taste and appearance. BWA is needed to increase the density of the dispersed flavor oil phase, thereby reducing the density difference between the oil and water phases and improving emulsion stability. Emulsifiers and BWA are required for emulsion stability.

The most well-known and widely used weighing ingredient in the beverage industry is rosin glycerides. There are two different varieties on the market: GEWR and rosin glyceryl ester (GEGR). In the 1960s, GEWR was considered the BWA's top contender.