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USP Ingredients Monique Day USP Ingredients Monique Day

Top Dietary and Nutritional Supplement Trends in 2024

The market trends for 2024 as they relate to dietary and nutritional supplements are exploding in holistic wellness and supplements specific to gender, race, and ethnicity. USP ingredients supplier Bell Chem presents a handful of these trends to you as you increase your health this year.

What could you do with $183,000,000? Imagine 1/3 of that amount being spent by Americans on supplements – the other 2/3 is divided among the world’s other countries. Health is vitally important to everyone, and the market is ripe for supplements focused on both physical and mental well-being. In fact, “feeling well” is the main goal of those polled asking about health goals. To that end, supplements focusing on better sleep quality and stress reduction are trending ever upward. The following supplement categories fall under the umbrella of holistic health.

Botanicals

With 48% of Americans convinced botanicals are effective and close to 1/3 of the same demographic interested in improving their mental status and mood with botanicals, these traditional and natural remedies are proving potent. High on this list are adaptogenic herbs such as rhodiola and ginseng, which positively adapt your mind to stress, anxiety, sleep support, mental clarity, and fatigue. Bell Chem’s long list of natural oils should be high on your list of botanical additives.

Skin health

Sunscreen and acne cream are important, but skin care has come a long way since the 1980s. Within the past 5 years the skin health market has increased a whopping 23% globally. In the United States, 1 of every 3 new product launches relates to skin health. Most supplements include Vitamins C, E, and B complex along with magnesium.

Focus on the female

A woman’s changing body needs supplements to support her during adolescence, pregnancy and maternal care, all stages of menopause, and elderly care. Iron, collagen, protein, and calcium support almost every stage of development while new supplements contain ingredients specific to increasing mood, supporting good sleep habits, and decreasing inflammation in joints. 

Sports nutrition

While this may seem an old category, the members of this group are ever evolving. New supplements are hitting the market designed for e-gamers and focus on prolonged focus, as well as visual stress and sustained energy. Looking for more cardiovascular activity? Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the United States with 1 out of every 5 adults playing within the past year. Obviously, supplements for joint health and overall energy are generated toward this exciting sport. These supplements often contain a variety of USP ingredients to achieve the desired effects. 

Bell Chem is a USP ingredients supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including dozens of food and dietary additives perfect for your nutritional supplement enterprise. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

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USP Ingredients Monique Day USP Ingredients Monique Day

How Manufacturers Make Dietary Supplements

The process of creating a dietary supplement seems rather mundane on the surface – squeeze a substance into a pill form and you’re ready to roll out your product. If only it were that easy. USP ingredient supplier Bell Chem gives a little background on the myriad steps from formulation to completion of dietary supplements.

Developing a formula

Depending on your goal – relieving joint pain or stiffness, increasing energy levels, supporting physical or mental health, or any of the other goals of dietary supplements – a formula with the specific active and inactive science-based ingredients must be developed.

Manufacturing necessities

Every capsule, pill, and tablet needs the exact amount of active and inactive ingredients. These measurements are only feasible with specifically calibrated scales and balances. Another portion of physical equipment is particle modifiers, which perform precisely what their name implies by hammering, granulating, oscillating, rolling, agglomerating, and otherwise transforming a liquid or solid into a finished product. Once products are the correct viscosity, they are blended and filled into capsules or pressed into tablets before being packaged.

Choosing the correct raw materials from Bell Chem

With a wide array of USP-designated ingredients, Bell Chem is sure to supply you with the products you need at a price you can afford. We can ship your 100% pure items quickly and accurately. No matter where your chemicals and supplements originate, it is vitally important to test the raw materials once they reach your premises.

Testing

Research before development of your product will give you precise measurements, but physically testing products will ensure the manufacturing process is correct. Pilot batches and instrument adjustments ensure your dietary supplement meets expectations. Once the pilot batch test proves positive, a production run ensues. Production runs include testing for uniformity in the mixture and content, particle size analysis, flowability, and amount of disintegration (absorption) over time. 

At last the final product is ready to be tested using the same procedures for the raw materials, including identity and potency along with microbiological and heavy metal compliance. Approval at this level via the FDA’s Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) leads to a finished product ready to be distributed. 

Quality control

Quality control is vital at every step of the manufacturing process. Armed with a checklist and specific set of regulatory requirements, quality control tests products and equipment to meet or exceed manufacturing guidelines. 

Packaging and labeling

This might seem a simple step requiring the advertising department, but the FDA is involved in this step as well since package labels must include the product name, serving size, list of ingredients, health claims, and dietary restrictions. 

Bell Chem is a USP ingredients supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including many raw materials for dietary supplements. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

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Personal Care Raw Materials Monique Day Personal Care Raw Materials Monique Day

Understanding the Chemicals Used in Nail Care

The odor of a nail salon makes it obvious that chemicals are at play in beautifying or strengthening nails. But what causes that odor? How can colors be so bright? What makes nails healthier? Personal care raw ingredients supplier Bell Chem is here to answer those questions and more.

What is in your nail polish?

A chemical breakdown of nail polish typically reveals a nitrocellulose polymer dissolved in either ethyl acetate or butyl acetate with a plasticizer (typically phthalates) added for durability. When the polish comes into contact with the nail and is subjected to oxygenated air, the solvent evaporates and the polymer adheres to the nail. 

Gel nail polish

With a different concoction from conventional nail polish, gel polish consists of methacrylate compounds and photo initiating compounds, including benzoyl peroxide. Gel nail polishes are brushed on in layers, then dried under an ultraviolet light. The UV light begins a polymerization process with an end result of a solidly-fused polish.

Colors 

The stunning and sometimes startling colors in nail polish are generally organic or inorganic pigments. Inorganic pigments include:

  • Chromium oxide – green tints

  • Ferric ferrocyanide – blue tints

  • Iron oxide – red and orange tints.

Organic pigments come in a vast array – such as beta carotene for orange - and are similar to the chemicals responsible for food colors.

Glitter nail polish is the result of mica, and pearlescence is due to titanium dioxide. Other showy nail polishes contain: 

  • Light-sensitive (photochromic) compounds containing spiropyrans and spirooxazines show a structural alteration with exposure to ultraviolet rays. 

  • Temperature-sensitive (thermochromic) compounds known as leucodyes with solvents with low melting points as well as acids. When temperatures decrease, the color retains its natural hue. When temperatures increase, the molecules are farther apart and not able to react with one another and the color fades. 

Nail Hardeners and Polishes

Many nail polishes contain hardeners to give nails durability as well as shine. Typically the chemical used in this process is formaldehyde, although it may be listed as methylene glycol or formalin on the label. Formaldehyde bonds to naturally occurring keratin in the nails, giving greater strength to the nails. 

An alternative to formaldehyde’s hardening properties is a nail coating, such as toluene sulfonamide/formaldehyde resin, or TSFR. Along with resins, TSFR also aids in adhesion of polish, adds shine, and maintains the correct viscosity to polish. 

Preservatives

Preventing contamination due to bacterial, yeast, or fungal growth is vitally important in nail products. Preservatives such as parabens and formaldehyde carry out these important functions.

Nail Polish Remover

As any home nail polish tech knows, acetone is essential for those who wish to remove nail polish once it begins to crack or wear off. This chemical also has the ability to remove nail glue, making it a versatile nail solution. 

Bell Chem is a personal care raw ingredients supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including nail care chemicals. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

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Food/Reagent-Grade Monique Day Food/Reagent-Grade Monique Day

Oat Flour: A Potential Sugar Substitute for Chocolate

While even dark chocolate is hard-pressed to admit to any health claims, chocolate can be created using an alternative, not-so-sugary ingredient. A study conducted by Pennsylvania State University has many scientists – and consumers – excited about a change in chocolate for the better without compromising flavor or texture. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem shares this story with you to assist in changing food habits for the better. 

Oat flour vs. sugar

With oat flour and sugar, it's difficult to find similarities. While they are both food products, they serve different purposes in the kitchen. Oats are the main course of many breakfasts and cookie mixes, while sugar is an indulgence sprinkled or added in much smaller amounts. However, the PSU USDA-backed study has found that the manufacture of chocolate is not altered when 25% of the sugar is replaced with finely ground (smaller than 10 µm) oat flour. 

Both oats and sugar are carbohydrates, with oats reigning as more complex and sugar following as a simple carb. The substitution of oat flour for sugar will not necessarily reduce the overall caloric count of chocolate, but it will significantly reduce sugar consumption.

Results of replacement

When you replace up to 25% of sugar with oat flour, the amount of sugar within the chocolate drops by approximately 13.5%. The study results found the finely ground texture of the oat flour did not detract from the overall texture of the chocolate, and consumers noticed no difference in mouthfeel. A similar study with rice flour had less stellar results, with consumers comparing the “chalkier” texture of the rice flour-induced chocolate with the “smoother, softer, creamier” texture of the oat flour mixture. While many participants noted a negative difference with the addition of rice flour, chocolate-containing oat flour was sometimes preferred over chocolate with a normal sugar content.

Sugar’s role in chocolate is twofold: it adds sweetness to the sharp chocolate flavor as it increases the viscosity. Appearing as more than 50% of the ingredients in chocolate, removing ¼ of sugar with another bulking agent will not alter that important role. 

Market demand

Sugar replacements are a hot button in today’s consumer market. Products labeled as low-sugar or sugar-free have undergone a compounded 3% annual growth rate within the last 5 years (2018 – 2023). Adding chocolate with less sugar to this growing market is advantageous. With the addition of oat flour, the benefits are greater since oats are naturally high in fiber without the detraction of gluten since gluten-free foods are also flooding the market. Results of the nutritional benefits of oat flour replacement are ongoing.

Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including food additives. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or sending us an online message

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Cleaning Chemicals Monique Day Cleaning Chemicals Monique Day

Choosing the Right Cleaning Chemicals for Your Food Production Facility

The chemicals used in food production must be safe, effective, and often specific for the task at hand. Choosing the correct chemical or mixture of chemicals to sanitize and clean your facility is not only important— it has to meet or exceed standards set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and other agencies specific to your industry. Industrial chemical supplier Bell Chem shares information on choosing the correct chemicals for your industry.

Cleaning, sanitizing, and disinfecting 

Most consumers believe these words are interchangeable, but industrial cleaners are far different than industrial-strength sanitizers, which differ from disinfectants. A cleaner is a chemical used to remove surface debris and some materials from surfaces. Cleaners are great for maintaining your equipment and environment, but must be paired with an antimicrobial to meet strict safety standards. 

Sanitizers, on the other hand, remove many pathogens on surfaces. Sanitizers work far better on surfaces free of debris, which means cleaners are generally used before sanitizers are applied. Many products are labeled “cleaner/sanitizer,” covering both functions simultaneously. 

Disinfectants remove 99.9% of disease-spreading pathogens. Many disinfectants are manufactured with certain pathogens in mind, such as bacteriocides. 

Hypochlorites

This disinfectant combines chlorine and calcium, sodium, or another inorganic compound. Hypochlorites are most effective when used in a specific pH range, temperature, and for the correct amount of time. Too little time could provide inadequate coverage while too much time can corrode equipment. 

Peroxyacetic acid (PAA)

Bacteria, viruses, yeasts, and other microorganisms have cellular membranes necessary for their functioning. Peroxyacetic acid destroys these membranes by breaking the chemical bonds holding them together, thereby destroying the organism, be it bacteria, yeast, or other form of pathogen. PAA is ideal for refrigerated areas and for biofilm removal. Because it breaks down into acetic acid, water, and oxygen, PAA leaves no harmful environmental byproducts. When compared to hypochlorites, PAA performs better, is environmentally friendlier, and corrodes equipment less frequently. 

Quaternary Ammonium Compounds (Quats)

When nitrogen bonds to alkyl chains, it forms quaternary ammonium compounds (quats), disinfectants that can be applied to lightly soiled surfaces and used in a wide temperature range. In other words, quats might replace cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants in some applications. Thoroughly rinse all surfaces after using quats as part of your cleaning regimen.

What method works best for you?

Many chemicals are distributed in multiple forms, such as tablets, powders, liquids, or foams. How you use your chemicals determines which method is most advantageous: will the chemical be used on a flat surface or between tiny crevices, or will it come in direct contact with food? 

Remember, mixing chemicals is often dangerous; if your organization does not have ample manpower to manipulate chemical processing, it would be to your benefit to choose pre-mixed solutions. 

Consider more sustainable options. 

Many companies are opting for more environmentally friendly or green products that break down into harmless chemicals or those with a lesser impact on the environment. Choose chemicals effective against the pathogens you wish to eradicate, ensure they are FDA approved, and find those with the lightest environmental footprint.

Bell Chem is an industrial chemical supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including industrial cleaners, sanitizers, and disinfectants. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

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Food/Reagent-Grade Monique Day Food/Reagent-Grade Monique Day

Emerging Trends Around Additives in the Food Industry

The food additives market comprises approximately $136.7 billion in the United States. With such a substantial market share of the national budget, it is imperative to understand trends in the additives industry. Food ingredient supplier Bell Chem has several food additive trends to share with you.

What is an additive?

But first, let’s define “additives." Almost anything not considered a whole food is an additive, from sweeteners to preservatives to organic acids. This broad range of products serves to emphasize color, taste, and texture as it preserves foods and even provides health benefits. A survey conducted by technology firm Ayana Bio concluded that 82% of adults claim to eat ultra-processed foods as part of their daily diets. All of this processing relies on additives.

Are our diets doomed?

It seems counterintuitive to point to additives as the heroes in feeding the world, but they surely are. The ability to chemically prepare food for storage and shipment has made it possible to send food from areas of plenty to those struggling with food insecurity. As these needs are met, additives enhance the nutritional value of foods. 

AI in the food supply chain

If it seems AI is everywhere, you are not mistaken. In the supply chain, many major companies rely on AI to generate transparent content as they streamline shipments and create foods with sustainable and ethical profiles. Consumers are more satisfied knowing the key ingredients and additives in each food product and to better understand why these additives are vital.

eCommerce

The pandemic pushed the necessity for online shopping, and foods were no exception. From fresh produce to pre-packaged meals, consumers have learned to appreciate the convenience of having foods shipped directly to their front doors. One of the deciding factors in shipping food is its quality upon arrival. Additives ensure the transition from factory to door is virtually seamless.

Social media and food

Want your online post to pop? Make it colorful! Social media posts focusing on food have noted a recent trend for bright food and beverage colors. Accompanying this trend, the importance of natural foods extends with many of the color-enriched foods appearing on social media being tinted with naturally occurring additives such as bacteria, algae, yeast, and fungi.

Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including food additives. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

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Personal Care Raw Materials Monique Day Personal Care Raw Materials Monique Day

The Power of USP Ingredients in Promoting Skin Health

The human integumentary system is the body’s largest organ, protecting its interior to an abundance of environmental hazards, from physical to chemical. To ensure the skin remains healthy, it is vitally important to carefully control the ingredients contained within healthcare products. USP ingredients answer this call. 

A scientific nonprofit organization known as the United States Pharmacopeia (USP) was founded in 1820 to set the standards for the identity, strength, quality, and purity of medicine, food ingredients, and dietary supplements manufactured, distributed and consumed worldwide. While only prescription medications are mandated to meet or exceed USP standards, many manufacturers ensure as many products as possible in their inventories are USP-grade - the highest quality possible.

USP standards are more than a designation, though. It verifies the purest quality formulation of any ingredient to ensure fewer adverse skin reactions and greater efficacy of active ingredients.

With more than 100 USP ingredients in inventory, Bell Chem can deliver the personal care product chemicals required for your manufacture of the highest quality skin care. Below are a sampling of our most popular USP-certified skin care products.

Ascorbic acid

As an antioxidant, ascorbic acid has been proven to relieve dry skin, strengthen skin to clear fine wrinkles, and allay damage caused by the ultraviolet rays of the sun. The integumentary system contains a natural chemical called ascorbate. When exposed to ultraviolet rays, this chemical breaks down quickly. Ascorbic acid replenishes the supply, aiding in the skin’s healthy glow.

Vitamins

Vitamins A, the B vitamins, C, D, E, K…all “lettered” vitamins generally carry a USP regulatory seal of approval although dietary supplements are voluntarily rated. 

  • In the skin, the B complex vitamins hydrate, produce collagen - a structural protein responsible for cell structure - and rejuvenate damaged cells. 

  • Vitamin C also promotes collagen growth and renews existing collagen, which improves skin structure.

  • Vitamin D is responsible for proper cell maintenance, aiding in cell division, growth, and apoptosis. All 3 of these factors are related to psoriasis, and the impact of vitamin D on inflammatory conditions such as psoriasis has been studied in depth and reported as effective. 

  • Vitamins E and K are both anti-inflammatory, and vitamin K has been used to stimulate wound healing. In fact, the “K” in vitamin K is for the German work koagulation.

Salicylic acid

Anyone prone to acne is familiar with salicylic acid and its negative effect on this troublesome skin condition. Salicylic acid also counters dandruff, exfoliates skin, conditions hair, and conditions the skin’s keratin. This acid is also key in the removal of warts, calluses, and corns. 

Bell Chem is a personal care products chemical company based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including a wide range of USP ingredients. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

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Personal Care Raw Materials Monique Day Personal Care Raw Materials Monique Day

How Personal Care Product Chemicals Promote Healthy Teeth and Gums

Personal care products tend to bring to mind materials designed to enhance the way an individual looks or feels. Only a few categorically improve health as personal care product chemicals formulated for oral care do. Bell Chem highlights some of the chemicals it stocks to protect the health of gums and teeth. 

Fluoride, calcium, and phosphate

If only one chemical was part of dental care, the majority of dentists would choose fluoride. Before fluoride was added to drinking water beginning in 1945 in Grand Rapids, Michigan, the sheer number of cavities in the general population’s teeth flourished. When fluoride was researched and adjusted to perfectly control the small amount necessary to prevent cavities in both children and adults, it was determined the ultimate method of dispersal was community water fluoridation. When water fluoridation became the norm across the United States, the amount of severe tooth pain, unnecessary extractions of permanent teeth, and a tremendous amount of fillings fell dramatically. It has been estimated that fluoride alone accounts for a 25% reduction of oral cavities.

Calcium and phosphate are both good for bones and teeth, which are chemically different from each other. Both calcium and phosphate are positively charged ions that interact with acidic compounds. This is extremely important in oral care because acids, such as those consumed in dark soft drinks and citrus drinks, can rapidly break down the enamel protecting the sensitive interior of teeth. Thinner enamel leads to fissures and chips in teeth where bacteria lurk. As the bacteria consume the same foods the mouth consumes, their acidic waste products erode teeth and cause dental caries and may lead to infection. Even worse, the human body is incapable of repairing any oral damage; the only alternative is to secure the hole with a filling that can withstand the pressure of mastication.

Gum disease prevention

Most dental patients worry about their teeth, but the gums are extremely important in oral care. Gum disease (often gingivitis) can easily lead to tooth loss and is often unnoticed since bacteria lurk below the gum line out of sight. Small pockets at the base of teeth enlarge and bacteria enter, breaking down and giving off acidic waste products. The diseased tissue eventually dies and falls away from the teeth and more bacteria enter the larger space. This feedback loop eventually causes the teeth to loosen or fall out. 

The addition of the personal care product chemicals fluoride, calcium, and phosphate in oral care products has significantly improved oral health around the world. Bell Chem has hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including oral health chemicals. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.

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Food/Reagent-Grade Monique Day Food/Reagent-Grade Monique Day

Examining the Role of Food Additives in Preventing Contamination

Food additives play many roles in the manufacture of fresh and packaged foods, and one of those roles is the prevention of contamination during the manufacturing process. Your food additive supplier, All food additives, whether they are specific to preventing contamination or simply to add color or texture to foods, are regulated by food and beverage safety agencies such as the Food and Drug Administration. This information alone should alleviate much of the angst many consumers have concerning additives in foods. The additives specific to preventing contamination can be categorized broadly as acidity regulators, antioxidants, emulsifiers, and preservatives.

Acidity regulators

Microorganisms thrive in narrow pH ranges. The addition of acidity regulators either raises or lowers the pH to an area inhospitable to the microbes being targeted during food processing. Included in this category are citric acid, lactic acid, and tartaric acid. Along with acid regulation, these additives often enhance the flavors of their associated foods, primarily fruit and vegetable dishes.

Antioxidants

Many consumers understand the role of antioxidants as destroyers of the free radicals that cause cellular damage in the body. However, this destruction also prevents food contamination since antioxidants damage bacteria, yeast, and fungi as naturally as they damage cells. Natural antioxidants range from vitamins C and E to flavonoids while synthetic antioxidants include butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT). Whether natural or synthetic, antioxidants reduce rancidity in fresh foods and often improve the flavor. Adding antioxidants helps preserve oils, flour, and milk powder and prevents discoloration of fruit and meat.

Emulsifiers

Carrageenan, diglycerides, monoglycerides, lecithin, and polysorbates all aid in stabilizing foods by keeping ingredients from separating and by improving the mouthfeel of products. Along the way, they increase shelf life by allaying bacterial growth.

Preservatives

The largest category of additives that prevent contamination are preservatives. These additives may prolong shelf life by countering the effect of specific microbes, or they might be formulated for microorganisms at large, such as bacteria, molds, and yeast. These unwanted microbes consume primarily sugars within goods, breaking them down and producing waste, which we consider contamination. Adding preservatives repels these microorganisms from colonizing on foods.

Benzoates, nitrates, sorbates, and sulfites are general-use additives necessary for preserving frozen and canned foods. These preservatives maintain a high level of quality when added as an ingredient, and keep foods fresh and appealing.

Bell Chem is a food additive supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including food additives specific to alleviating food contamination. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.


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Dextrose Monique Day Dextrose Monique Day

Why Dextrose is Used in Sports Drinks and Supplements

‌The chemical makeup of dextrose is extremely similar to glucose, the sugar normally utilized by the human body. When dextrose is added as a supplement to sports drinks, the body readily sequesters it for both aerobic and anaerobic activities. Food additive supplier Bell Chem wishes to explain more pertinent information on dextrose and why you are more likely to find it rather than any other sugar additive in your sports drinks and supplements. 

How dextrose affects the body

Dextrose is a simple carbohydrate commonly derived from either corn or wheat. Because its chemical formula almost mirrors that of glucose, the body absorbs it rapidly, leading to rapid increases in blood sugar levels. Since the blood supplies muscle fibers with energy in the form of ATP, and ATP runs on glucose, adding a supplement to the body containing dextrose will stimulate ATP to generate energy within muscle fibers. As the muscle fibers are able to contract more rapidly, the body is able to lift heavier weights, run faster, or jump farther than it could when blood sugar levels are depleted. 

Dextrose for focus

The majority of the focus of dextrose is its ability to affect slow- and fast-twitch muscle fibers during exercise. However, dextrose has another superpower. 

Your brain requires a huge amount of fuel to function. In fact, in ordinary situations, the brain usurps approximately 20%-25% of the available blood sugar. When the brain is tasked with mental exertion, that amount surpasses the normal amount of usage and it can quickly become fatigued, leading to slower reflexes, muddled thoughts, or “brain fog.” With a quick burst of dextrose in the form of a supplement or in an energy drink, those symptoms disappear post haste, and the brain’s functions resume as normal.

Dextrose for athleticism

When an athlete needs to perform in peak condition, an energy drink quickly reinvigorates a workout. From bodybuilders to long-distance marathon runners, energy drinks are ideal to keep going. Studies have proven dextrose works to increase muscle mass since when muscle fibers are depleted of sugar, they can no longer contract, and the athlete is forced to end the workout. Adding a dose of dextrose spurs the muscle fibers to continue contracting.

Most workouts, whether of short or long duration, necessitate two core requirements: carbohydrates and water. When either of these is a limiting factor, workouts diminish rapidly. An energy drink replenishes both, and workouts proceed.


Bell Chem is your food additive supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including dextrose. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or send us a message.

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