Candelilla Wax
What it does
Glazing/coating (vegan alternative to beeswax).
How it's made
From candelilla plant.
Candelilla wax is a natural plant wax used as a glazing agent to give gloss to confectionery and chewing gum and as a coating and carrier. It is harder than many other food waxes and is a common vegan alternative to beeswax.
It comes from the candelilla shrub (Euphorbia species) that grows in the semi-desert regions of northern Mexico and the southern United States. The whole plants are harvested and boiled in water with a little acid, which releases the waxy coating from the stems; the wax floats to the surface and is skimmed off.
The crude wax is then refined, filtered and sometimes bleached to give a food-grade product. Because it is plant-derived, it suits vegan and vegetarian foods, and its hardness and high gloss make it useful for coating sweets and tablets and for firming up other waxes and coatings.
Possible reactions
Generally safe.