Frequently asked questions.
Ethanol (Ethyl Alcohol)
Ethanol, also called alcohol, ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol, is a clear, colorless liquid and the principal ingredient in alcoholic beverages like beer, wine, or some spirits. Because it can readily dissolve in water and other organic compounds, ethanol also is an ingredient in a range of other products, from personal care and beauty products to paints and varnishes to fuel.
Where is Ethanol used?
Everywhere! It’s used in personal care products, household cleaning products to name a few. The FDA has also labeled ethanol as a Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) substance, which means that the FDA studied ethanol and it’s affects and found that it’s safe to use in food products. Ethanol is also widely used in fuels. More than 97% of U.S. gasoline contains some ethanol.
How is Ethanol made?
In the United States, ethanol is primarily produced from the fermentation of starch in corn grain. In the fuel industry, bio-refineries use state of the art technologies to convert grains, beverage and food waste, cellulosic biomass and other feedstocks into high-octane ethanol.
What does Ethanol have to do with Hand Sanitizer?
In direct response to the Covid-19 pandemic and the wide spread shortage of hand sanitizer, the FDA is allowing ethanol to be used as the primary ingredient in hand sanitizer. The WHO and FDA have come up with safe and effective formulations for ethanol based hand sanitizer which can be used to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
What is the FDA Policy?
Ethanol produced in facilities normally producing fuel or technical grade may be considered for use if the ethanol is produced from fermentation and distillation as would be typically used for consumable goods, and no other additives or other chemicals have been added to the ethanol.
GII Ethanol is directly produced from a corn fermentation process. It is 190 Proof or 95% by Volume. Nothing is added to it.
Fusel alcohols or fuselol, also sometimes called fusel oils in Europe, are mixtures of several alcohols (chiefly amyl alcohol) produced as a by-product of alcoholic fermentation. In any fermentation process they are present at 0-2% by volume. GII has registered this composition of natural corn fermentation alcohol with the FDA in order to show openness and completeness of the chemical composition. This is consistent with FDA’s Policy for Temporary Compounding of Certain Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer Products During the Public Health Emergency Immediately in Effect Guidance for Industry last updated on April 15, 2020.