Zein is a class of
prolamine protein found in
maize. It is usually manufactured as a powder from
corn gluten meal.Zein is one of the most well understood plant proteins and has a variety of industrial and food uses. Historically it has been used in the manufacture of a wide variety of commercial products including coatings for paper cups, soda bottle cap linings, clothing fabric, buttons, adhesives, coatings and binders. The dominant historical use of zein was in the textile fibers market where it was produced under the name "Vicara". With the development of synthetic alternatives, the use of zein in this market eventually disappeared. By utilizing electrospinning, zein fibers have again been produced in the lab where additional research will be performed to re-enter the fiber market. Pure zein is clear, odorless, tasteless, hard, water-insoluble, and edible, making it invaluable in processed foods and pharmaceuticals, in competition with insect
shellac. It is now used as a coating for candy, nuts, fruit, pills, and other encapsulated foods and drugs. In the United States it may be labeled as "confectioner's glaze" and used as a coating on bakery productsor as "vegetable protein." It is classified as
GRAS (Generally Recognized as Safe) by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
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