Starwest Vegetable Glycerine is an amazing product. Its unusual combination of properties has made it useful in a wide variety of applications. Historically, glycerine was produced commercially as a by-product in the manufacture of soap. Today, it is derived from palm oil by the process of hydrolysis, which takes off the fatty acids, leaving pure vegetable glycerine.
One factor that makes glycerine so useful is its nontoxicity. As a food, it is easily digested. Metabolized in the body like a carbohydrate, its warm, sweet taste makes it an excellent substitute for sugar (about 80 calories per tblsp). Glycerine's anti-bacterial properties and solvent action make it very useful in the production and preservation of herbal extracts. Glycerine is used extensively in the preparation of coffee and tea flavors, and as an ingredient in soft drinks.