4-Hexylresorcinol E586
4-Hexylresorcinol is a specialist food additive and industrial processing ingredient considered for anti-browning, oxidation-control and melanosis-management applications. For professional food manufacturers, the purchasing decision should be based on identity, food-grade status, purity, permitted-use confirmation, process compatibility, residue control, batch documentation and destination-market compliance.
Product identity
| Product | 4-Hexylresorcinol |
|---|---|
| Common naming | 4-Hexylresorcinol, Hexylresorcinol, 4-Hexylbenzene-1,3-diol |
| Category | Antioxidants & Oxidation Control |
| Function | Anti-browning, anti-melanosis and oxidation-control ingredient |
| E / INS number | E586 |
| CAS / identity | 136-77-6 |
| Chemical family | Alkylresorcinol / phenolic compound |
| Molecular formula | C12H18O2 |
| Molecular weight | 194.27 g/mol |
| Typical form | Crystalline powder, powder blend, liquid preparation or application-specific premix depending on supplier grade |
| Procurement status | Specialist additive; market authorization and food-category suitability must be confirmed before use |
Industrial application fit
4-Hexylresorcinol is most relevant where the manufacturing objective is controlled suppression of visible browning, enzymatic darkening or oxidative quality loss in sensitive systems. It should be evaluated with a technical trial plan rather than selected only by additive name.
- Crustacean and seafood processing where melanosis control is technically required
- Chilled, frozen or post-harvest handling systems requiring quality protection
- Processing lines where appearance, shelf-life and residue control must be balanced
- Applications needing comparison with sulfite-based or ascorbate-based anti-browning systems
- Specialty formulations where regulatory authorization and customer specification allow use
Technical purchasing notes
Industrial buyers should treat 4-Hexylresorcinol as a controlled technical ingredient, not as a generic commodity antioxidant. Before purchasing, compare the supplier specification against the intended food category, production process, application method, target performance, label expectations, residue requirements and local rules in the destination market. A useful inquiry should include target grade, assay or active content, physical form, quantity, destination country, required shelf life, documentation requirements and any existing reference specification.
Functional role in food systems
4-Hexylresorcinol is valued in technical food processing because phenolic compounds can interfere with oxidative and enzymatic browning pathways. In seafood and crustacean operations, the commercial objective is often to reduce dark spot formation, maintain visual quality, support consistent presentation during chilled or frozen distribution, and reduce quality rejection linked to appearance defects.
Performance depends on the food matrix, contact time, surface exposure, product temperature, process water quality, pH, oxygen exposure, storage conditions and the way the ingredient is applied. For this reason, buyers should request both the supplier specification and practical application guidance, then validate the additive under factory-specific conditions.
Key technical review points
Identity and purity
- Confirm CAS number, E / INS number and naming on the specification, COA and label.
- Review assay method, purity profile and identity confirmation method.
- Check appearance, odour, colour, moisture and physical form against your handling system.
- Request impurity, residual solvent and heavy metal limits where relevant to the grade.
- Confirm food-grade status and whether the material is supplied as pure active, blend or premix.
Process compatibility
- Validate application method, such as dip, spray, surface treatment, solution preparation or premix addition.
- Evaluate solubility, dispersion, mixing time and compatibility with processing water or carrier system.
- Review performance under chilled, frozen, high-moisture or oxygen-exposed conditions.
- Measure finished-product residue where required by regulation or customer specification.
- Run pilot trials before scale-up, especially when replacing sulfites or alternative browning inhibitors.
Specification checklist for buyers
A robust 4-Hexylresorcinol specification should go beyond product name and CAS number. For industrial procurement, request a complete technical pack and compare each parameter with the needs of your plant, HACCP documentation, customer approval system and import requirements.
- Assay or active content, including test method and acceptable range
- Identity confirmation, CAS number, E / INS number and chemical name
- Appearance, particle size or physical form, colour and odour
- Moisture or loss on drying where applicable
- Purity profile, impurities and residual solvents where relevant
- Heavy metals and elemental impurity limits when required by customer or regulation
- Microbiological criteria for blends, premixes or food-contact preparations where applicable
- Allergen, GMO, vegan, halal, kosher or religious-status declarations where requested
- Shelf life, storage temperature, light protection and unopened-pack stability
- Packaging type, net weight, pallet configuration and tamper-evidence details
Regulatory and compliance review
4-Hexylresorcinol should be reviewed carefully before use because additive authorization is market-specific. The same ingredient may be acceptable in one destination, restricted to specific food categories in another, or subject to maximum residue or labelling requirements. Buyers should confirm the intended food category, local positive list, maximum permitted level, residue-testing expectation, import clearance requirements and finished-product label obligations.
For export-oriented manufacturers, the regulatory review should cover both the country of manufacture and the destination country. When supplying retailers or branded customers, the buyer may also need customer-specific approvals, prohibited-substance screening, residue-control plans, private-label documentation and batch traceability records.
Application trial guidance
A practical factory trial should define the target defect or quality issue, the current control method, the desired visual and shelf-life outcome, and the analytical checks required after treatment. Trial data should be compared against untreated control samples and any existing additive system.
- Define the food matrix, process stage and treatment method before requesting samples.
- Test more than one concentration only within the permitted legal and customer-approved range.
- Monitor appearance, odour, flavour impact, residue level, drip loss, colour stability and shelf-life indicators.
- Record contact time, temperature, product-to-solution ratio, pH, water hardness and process-water turnover.
- Confirm whether the ingredient is compatible with other processing aids, antioxidants, acids, salts or preservatives.
- Document all trial conditions so scale-up results can be reproduced in commercial production.
Packaging, storage and logistics
Packaging depends on supplier grade and order quantity. Industrial buyers commonly request sealed drums, cartons, bags, inner liners or sample packs with clear batch identification. For sensitive phenolic materials, storage conditions should be controlled according to the supplier specification, with attention to moisture, heat, light exposure, odour contamination and resealing after opening.
- Request net weight, gross weight, pallet size and pallet stackability before confirming freight.
- Ask whether the product is classified for transport in your shipment route and destination market.
- Confirm minimum order quantity, lead time, available batch size and remaining shelf life.
- Check whether the supplier can provide pre-shipment COA, label draft and packing photos.
- For export shipments, confirm HS code guidance, commercial invoice description and document legalization needs.
Documents to request
- Product specification or technical data sheet
- Certificate of analysis for the offered batch or lot
- Safety data sheet where applicable
- Food-grade statement and intended-use declaration where available
- Origin, manufacturer, shelf-life and storage information
- Allergen, GMO, halal, kosher, vegan or other market-specific declarations when required
- Residual solvent, heavy metal, impurity or microbiological information when relevant to the grade
- Label draft, packaging details, pallet configuration and lot-coding format
- Regulatory or compliance statement for the destination country when available
- Sample COA or historical COA for technical comparison during supplier qualification
How to request this product
Send the product name, target grade or reference specification, intended application, food category, estimated use level, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, delivery term, expected shipment date and required documents. If you already purchase 4-Hexylresorcinol, attach or describe your current specification, label, technical data sheet or certificate of analysis so available supplier options can be compared more accurately.
Useful answers
What is 4-Hexylresorcinol used for in food manufacturing?
4-Hexylresorcinol is typically discussed as a specialist anti-browning and oxidation-control additive. In industrial practice, it is especially relevant where processors need to manage melanosis, enzymatic browning, appearance deterioration or oxidative quality loss in sensitive food systems. Exact suitability depends on grade, food category, processing method, permitted use, residue control and supplier documentation.
Is 4-Hexylresorcinol a direct replacement for sulfites?
Not automatically. Some buyers evaluate 4-Hexylresorcinol when reviewing alternatives or complements to sulfite-based anti-browning systems, but technical and regulatory equivalence should never be assumed. Replacement requires application trials, residue checks, sensory review, shelf-life validation, cost comparison and destination-market approval.
Which documents should be requested before purchasing?
Buyers commonly request a technical data sheet, product specification, certificate of analysis, safety data sheet where applicable, origin statement, shelf-life and storage information, label draft, packaging details, pallet configuration and market-specific compliance declarations. Additional allergen, GMO, halal, kosher, vegan, heavy metal, residual solvent or impurity statements may be needed depending on the buyer and destination market.
Can Global Food Additives source 4-Hexylresorcinol?
Global Food Additives can review sourcing options for 4-Hexylresorcinol according to target specification, application, quantity, destination, packaging preference, delivery term and required documentation. For technical products, an existing COA, supplier specification or customer approval requirement helps speed up comparison.
Is this product permitted in every country?
No. Food additive use depends on destination-market rules, food category, maximum permitted level, residue requirements, label requirements and buyer responsibility. The buyer should verify regulatory status before ordering or using the material in commercial production.
What should be checked during supplier qualification?
Supplier qualification should cover identity, assay, purity, specification consistency, batch traceability, manufacturing origin, food-grade confirmation, documentation reliability, packaging integrity, lead time, remaining shelf life, sample performance and ability to support export documentation.
Tell us which food additive or ingredient you need.
Send product names, target specifications, quantity, destination country, packaging preference, delivery term, and document requirements. Our team will review your inquiry and respond from orders@foodgradeadditives.com.
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