Gulf Wax, a common household item, primarily consists of paraffin wax. This article explores its properties, uses, and applications, particularly in the context of food preservation and other surprising areas.
Gulf Wax is sold in 1lb boxes, each containing 4 bricks. A pound of Gulf Wax is the same physical size as a pound of butter. It's plain paraffin wax, characterized by its lack of scent and taste, making it a versatile substance for various applications.
Gulf Wax is essentially paraffin wax. Royal Oak buys the paraffin from Exxon through a broker and the company does not manufacture the product themselves.
The back of the box suggests using Gulf Wax in canning and also recommends using Gulf Wax to seal bottles. However, it's crucial to note that the USDA no longer recommends paraffin or wax seals for sweet spreads like jellies due to potential mold contamination. Despite this, Cici Williamson at the USDA suggests that mold is the worst that could happen when using Gulf Wax as a sealant for jellies or jams. She advises keeping the product refrigerated and checking for mold to ensure safety.
While once a common practice, using paraffin wax for canning, particularly for jellies and jams, is now discouraged by the USDA. The primary concern is the potential for mold growth beneath the wax seal, which can compromise the safety and quality of the preserved food.
Beyond its traditional applications, Gulf Wax has found some interesting off-label uses. According to Robert Turner, who handles Gulf Wax distribution for Royal Oak, a lot of people use it to lubricate sliding glass doors - put it on the track to help the door slide easier.
Gulf Wax can be used to create a camp stove: Take the label off an empty tuna can and clean it out. Put a spiral of corrugated cardboard into the can. Pour in enough melted Gulf Wax to come near the top. Take a clean, empty coffee can and poke a few holes near the top using a church-key type punch tool. Set the tuna can on a flat, clear surface and light the cardboard. Turn the coffee can upside down over the lit tuna can.
Gulf Wax safety is overseen by the FDA (the packaging reads, “Conforms to FDA Regulations”). Cici Williamson emphasized that Gulf Wax is food-grade and food-safe, so it is edible.
Wax can be used for protecting cheese, candy, fruit, vegetables and more to help preserve and give products a glossy polished look. There are two types of waxes commonly used for food coatings and applications - paraffin wax and carnauba wax. Paraffin wax is derived from refining light to medium lubricating oil and is often nearly colorless and odorless. Paraffin wax is used to make fruits, vegetables and candy look shiny. Paraffin wax acts as a chemical preservative for food and helps foods look great and continue to stay fresh. Food-grade paraffin wax is edible and provides foods with both functional and appearance purposes. This type of wax can give chocolate a shiny coating. Paraffin wax can also help prolong the shelf life of produce. The paraffin wax is sprayed on various vegetables and fruits to give them a shiny look and help them retain moisture. Carnauba wax come comes from the leaves of the carnauba palm, which grows in northeastern Brazil. The wax is collected by beating the dried leaves to free the yellowish-to-brown wax coating. Carnauba wax is also used for the wax coating around hard cheeses. Soft cheese can benefit from both carnauba wax and paraffin wax because it is easily susceptible to growing mold. A wax coating will protect the cheese and keep it as fresh as possible. The wax coating is created by melting down carnauba wax and either dipping the hard cheese in or brushing it on the cheese.
Edible food coatings have been used since the 1100s, when merchants in southern China used wax to preserve oranges.
Paraffin wax will not melt in the microwave because it has no fat or moisture in it. The only way to melt it in the microwave is to melt it in some chocolate or other substance containing fat or moisture. That way, the heat from the chocolate will melt the paraffin.
If you want to buy your own Gulf Wax, it costs about $2.75 per box and is usually situated near the canning supplies. I purchased it at the Charles Town, WV Martin’s-since Martin’s is a Royal Ahold company, I would assume it is also available at other RA supermarkets, including both the Pennsylvania and Landover-based Giant chains. I have also seen it at the Sterling, VA Wegmans market. My local Food Lion sells a different brand. Some supermarkets don’t carry the product at all, so you may have to shop around.
tags: #gulf #wax #paraffin #wax #uses #food
