The product you need is likely ethanol = ethel alcohol, some times
called grain alcohol. This is the same chemical contained in beverage
alcohol including beer and wine, which is taxed heavily in the USA and
most other countries. If you can establish that the alcohol is for
pharmaceutical purposes, all or most of the tax can be removed,
provided you can assure the bureaucrats that little of it will be
diverted to use as a beverage. I presume there are different rules for
food use. Merichino cherries and vanilla extract are the only two, I
know of, but likely there are many world wide. 90% or more ethanol is
powerful for extracting water from foods and other organic material so
you may need it in this strength. Less costly grades are available
that are up to 50% water. Holding other impurities to parts per
billion is also costly. Likely your food application can tolerate high
impurity levels of some kinds, but not others.
There are a dozen or more other chemicals called alcohol. Isopropyle
alcohol has replaced grain alcohol for external medical use, such as
back rubs and sterilization, however it is not suitable for beverage
or food as it makes people sick rather than intoxicated if taken
internally. Neil |