Carnauba Wax
What it does
Glazing agent on sweets.
How it's made
From carnauba palm leaves.
Carnauba wax is a hard, high-gloss natural plant wax used as a glazing agent on sweets, chocolate-coated products, chewing gum and as a coating for some fruits and tablets. It is one of the hardest natural waxes and gives a durable, brilliant shine, which is why it is also used in car and furniture polishes.
It comes from the leaves of the carnauba palm (Copernicia prunifera), native to north-eastern Brazil. The palm secretes the wax to protect its leaves from drying out; the leaves are cut, dried, and beaten or threshed to release the wax as a powder, which is then melted and refined.
The crude wax is filtered, and often bleached and refined into different grades. As a plant wax it is suitable for vegans, and only a very thin coating is needed to give a bright, hard-wearing gloss, so it is used in tiny amounts as a surface finish.
Possible reactions
Generally safe.