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Usage

Uses

Used in Food Industry:
Zein is used as a coating for nuts and grain products to provide a moisture barrier, enhancing their shelf life and quality.
Zein is used as a coating for confections and a glaze for panned goods, improving their appearance and texture.
Used in Paper and Packaging Industry:
Zein is used as a paper coating, grease-resistant coating, and in the production of label varnishes, laminated board, and solid-color prints, enhancing the durability and resistance of these products.
Used in Printing Industry:
Zein is utilized in printing inks, providing a consistent and high-quality print output.
Used in Textile Industry:
Zein has been used to create fibers, offering an alternative material for various applications.
Used in Pharmaceutical and Cosmetic Industry:
Zein is used for microencapsulation, allowing for controlled release and protection of sensitive ingredients in pharmaceutical and cosmetic products.
Used in Material Science:
Zein has been employed as a biopolymer in the electrospinning technique, enabling the production of nanofibers for various applications.
Zein is also used to blend starch in the manufacture of thermoplastic materials, contributing to the development of biodegradable and environmentally friendly plastics.

Production Methods

Zein is extracted from corn gluten meal with dilute propan-2-ol.

Pharmaceutical Applications

Zein is used as a tablet binder in wet-granulation processes or as a tablet-coating agent mainly as a replacement for shellac. It is used primarily as an enteric-coating agent or in extended-release oral tablet formulations and other delivery systems. Zein is also used in food applications as a coating agent.

Biochem/physiol Actions

Zein is used in the manufacture of fiber, adhesive, coating, ceramic, ink, cosmetic, textile, chewing gum and biodegradable plastics. This protein is a biodegradable and sustainable agropolymer. Thus, it is a great potential replacement for traditional oil-based plastics.

Safety Profile

When heated to decomposition it emits acrid smoke and irritating fumes.

Safety

Zein is used in oral pharmaceutical formulations and food products, and is generally regarded as an essentially nontoxic and nonirritant material at the levels employed as an excipient. However, it may be harmful if ingested in large quantities.

storage

Zein should be stored in an airtight container, in a cool, dry place. It has not been reported to polymerize.

Regulatory Status

GRAS listed. Included in the FDA Inactive Ingredients Database (oral tablets). Included in nonparenteral medicines licensed in the UK. Included in the Canadian List of Acceptable Non-medicinal Ingredients.