Synonyms
Shellac orange S-40; Candy glaze; Confectioner's glaze; Glaze, pharmaceutical; Gum lac; Lac resin; Lacca; Resins, lac or shellac; Schellack; Shellac, purified; Orange shellac-unbleached; [ChemIDplus] Lac; [Merck Index] Orange Flake Shellac; [Gesswein MSDS]
Description
Yellowish brittle sheets, crushed pieces, or powder; [Merck Index] Reddish brown odorless flakes; [Gesswein MSDS]
Sources/Uses
Resins secreted by insects that feed on various resiniferous trees in India; Used mainly in lacquers and varnishes; Also to make buttons, grinding wheels, sealing wax, cements, inks, phonograph records, and paper; Also used to stiffen hats, coat confections and medicinal tablets, and finish leather; [Merck Index] Used as an anticaking agent, drying agent, humectant, processing aid, and surface-finishing agent for foods; [FDA] Permitted for use as an inert ingredient in non-food pesticide products; [EPA] "Shellac is a natural bioadhesive polymer and is chemically similar to synthetic polymers, and thus can be considered a natural form of plastic." [Wikipedia]