Shellac

Shellac is a natural product. Shellac consists of excrements of the female lacquer scale insect. The insects live on different kinds of soil. They suck the juice of young shoots and produce a red resinous secretion as a metabolic product. The red secretion is first decolorized with soda solution and can be poured into thin plates after refining and melting and finally used.

Shellac is a food additive approved in the EU under number E 904 and can be used q.s. (without maximum quantity restriction) as a coating agent for the treatment of food. Confectionery products such as chocolate, nuts, coffee beans, apples, pears, citrus fruits, etc. are treated preferentially. The coating protects against moisture loss. The fruits treated with shellac bear the note "waxed".

Cosmetics: Shellac is used in cosmetic formulations under the INCI designation "Shellac". Shellac acts as emollient, film former, viscosity regulator and hair setting agent.