| Essence |
Microcrystalline Wax or E905 is a petroleum-derived wax used in a plethora of different industries, like cosmetics, medicine, candles, packaging, wood, leather, electronics, rubber, plastics, and more. |
| Names |
Petroleum Wax, Micro Wax, Synthetic Wax, Mineral Wax, Amorphous Wax, 63231-60-7, E905, Microcrystalline Wax, and others. |
| Sourcing |
Petroleum Crude Oil. |
| Manufacturing |
The sourcing ingredient is refined and dewaxed typically with a mix of a polar and non-polar solvent like acetone and methyl ethyl ketone, respectively. This combination of ingredients is then cooled to achieve crystallization of the wax. Then, it is about filtration, deoiling, and purification (by solvents or mechanically). Then, another round of cooling takes place, typically. |
| Application |
Glazing agent, coating, emulsifier, binding agent, and texturizer. It is water-insoluble. |
| Acceptable Daily Intake |
None determined. |
| Side Effects |
There are no studies for it on safety. I would assume that the negative effect profile is similar to that of other petroleum-derived products like Tartrazine (E102) or Butylated Hydroxytoluene (E321). To that end, it could be the culprit of cancer, liver damage, asthma, hormonal disbalance, brain damaged, OCD, ADHD, hives, itching, breathing difficulty, depression, insomnia, anxiety, fatigue, migraines, and more. |
| Benefits |
None. |
| Studies |
35+ studies on Pubmed. No studies on safety. |
| Allergens |
None. |
| Diet Restrictions |
None. |
| Health Knight Assessment |
Likely Seriously Harmful. | Hence, it’s a Category 5 Additive. |
| Products |
Microcrystalline Wax (E905) can easily be found with jelly beans, gum, gummy candy, hard candy, sweets, licorice, chocolate candies, sour candy, corn snacks, jelly candy, sugar-coated nuts, pastries, hamburger buns and hamburgers, bagels, biscuits, cakes, salt substitutes, pizza crusts, and more. |
