Polyglycerols are intermolecular ethers of glycerol. Condensation joins two or more glycerol molecules and removes one fewer water molecule than the number of glycerol molecules involved. Spiga Nord S.p.A. produces these substances exclusively by polycondensing refined vegetable glycerine that meets GMO-free, Kosher, Halal, and E422 requirements.

Spiga Nord uses proprietary technology to produce finished products with a high content of linear polymers and a reduced content of cyclic compounds. The company developed this technology through in-house expertise and more than fifty years of experience in glycerine refining. This process gives the products distinctive qualitative characteristics. They offer a pleasant taste, no odour, high colour standards, and notable thermal stability. Polyglycerol-3 and Polyglycerol-4 typically achieve values below 50 Hazen, approximately three times lower than common market values. These properties make them particularly suitable for food and cosmetic applications, where formulators must preserve the product’s original characteristics and prevent degradation.

Applications of Spiga Nord Polyglycerols

Manufacturers can use Spiga Nord’s polyglycerols to produce esters that meet the specifications established by Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/1329 for the food additives E475 POLYGLYCEROL ESTERS OF FATTY ACIDS and E476 POLYGLYCEROL POLYRICINOLEATE. They also meet the specifications established by 21 CFR 172.854 for the food additive POLYGLYCEROL ESTERS OF FATTY ACIDS. In food products, polyglycerol esters act as emulsifiers, fat substitutes, and processing aids that help maintain the food’s rheological properties.

Their vegetable origin enables formulators to incorporate them into 100% natural finished products. This characteristic offers particular value in cosmetic applications, where dermatological and environmental concerns increasingly call the use of ethoxylated derivatives into question. Polyglycerol esters enable formulators to create emulsions without ethoxylated compounds.

Formulators can use polyglycerols as solvents for fragrances because of their non-volatile nature or as skin moisturisers. Polyglycerols contain fewer hydroxyl groups and have a higher molecular weight than glycerol. As a result, the skin generally tolerates polyglycerols and their esters well. During research and development, manufacturers must ensure that cosmetic products retain their stability and functionality throughout their shelf life. In particular, these products must preserve their texture, fragrance, softness, and rapid absorption during use. Together with other formulation components, polyglycerol esters help manufacturers achieve these objectives. Formulators can also use them as non-ionic emulsifiers, dispersants, emollients, wetting agents, or thickeners in personal care products.

Versatility represents another important characteristic of polyglycerols

Manufacturers can esterify one or more hydroxyl groups in the molecule with one or different acids. This process creates a wide range of emulsifiers and surfactants with specific HLB values (Hydrophilic–Lipophilic Balance).

These properties also support the use of polyglycerols in various technical applications.

Polymer manufacturers use polyglycerol, and more commonly its esters, for several purposes. As plasticisers, they give the finished product new and specific rheological properties. Manufacturers can add them directly during bulk or suspension polymerisation or introduce them during the final production stages. As anti-fog agents, they migrate towards the polymer surface without moving outside the product itself. They also act as lubricants because they maintain high viscosity even at elevated temperatures.