Randi

Randi Sodium and potassium tartrate contains not less than 98.0 per cent and not more than the equivalent of 101.0 per cent of the anhydrous substance. Rochelle Salt presents itself as white or almost white crystalline powder or colorless transparent crystals. Tetrahydrate salt crystals are translucent. At 100°C, salt loses three molecules of water; at 130-140°C it becomes anhydrous; at 220°C it starts to decompose. Rochelle Salt is very soluble in water and practically insoluble in alcohol. In particular, salt melts in 0.9 parts of water, resulting in an aqueous solution, weakly alkaline. Its use is mainly technical, but it is also employed in food and pharmaceutical industries.

Randi Tartaric acid is of natural origin, obtained by extraction of lees during winemaking (ref. Ph. Eur.). Tartaric acid contains not less than 99.5 per cent and not more than the equivalent of 101.0 per cent of the dried substance. Tartaric acid appears as white or almost white crystalline powder or colorless crystals. Dextrorotatory tartaric acid is the natural diastereoisomer of tartaric acid. It is widely present in nature in the juice of many kinds of fruit, both free and combined with potassium, calcium or magnesium. It is known since ancient times as its potassium acid salts deposited as crystals during fermentation of wine and was called faecula (little yeast) by the Romans. In modern processes, the potassium bitartrate obtained during wine making is first converted into calcium tartrate, which is then hydrolised into tartaric acid and calcium sulfate. Besides being used in wine making – where it helps to correct the natural acidity of musts and wines – tartaric acid is also used to prepare effervescent powders (bubbly table water) and preserved food, in bread making (preparation of bread making emulsifying agents), in pharmaceutics (preparation of medicines) and in the construction business, where tartaric acid is used to prepare gypsum to be used on prefab walls and panels (added to gypsum, tartaric acid makes it catch more slowly and this makes it easier to distribute).

Randi Ethyl alcohol is of wine origin (grape spirit); it is a short-chain alcohol. At ambient temperature it is a colorless liquid, clear, with a characteristic odor, volatile (boiling point 78°C), hygroscopic, highly flammable. It is completely soluble in many organic solvents (e.g. chloroform) and in water, with which it forms, in a proportion of approximately 96:4, a minimum azeotrope, which makes it impossible to obtain an ethanol distillation purer than 96. For this reason, “pure alcohol” is defined as 96% ethanol and 4% water approximately. Ethanol (96%) is a mixture comprised of between 95.1 - 96.9% v/v of ethanol and water at 20°C (92.6 - 95.2% m/m). Produced naturally by the fermentation of sugar, it is the most widespread type of alcohol and is the only alcohol suitable for consumption. It is used to make liqueurs and alcoholic beverages. The use of ethanol of agricultural origin for consumption is governed by EC Regulations, as set out in European Regulation 110/2008 Annex I points 1 and 2. Due to its effectiveness as an antiseptic, it is used in the Pharmaceutical Industry as a disinfectant and in the Cosmetics Industry in the manufacture of perfumes.

Randi Natural potassium tartrate contains not less than 99% of the anhydrous substance. Natural potassium tartrate presents itself as a crystalline powder or white granules. Natural potassium tartrate is used for making wine, as acidity regulator. Since this is a salt of tartaric acid, it respects the composition of wine more than any other neutralizing agent. In order to reduce total wine acidity by 1%, a variable quantity between 2.02 and 2.12 g/L of potassium tartrate is required. The addition of large quantities of this salt to the wine does not cause any considerable change in its natural taste or smell. Once the appropriate dose for acidity correction has been decided, the neutralizing agent is dissolved in some water, then the solution is poured slowly into the wine, mixing it so as to avoid local concentration of the product.

Randi Cream of tartar contains not less than 99.5 per cent and not more than the equivalent of 100.5 per cent of the anhydrous substance. Cream of tartar presents itself as white or almost white crystalline powder or colorless crystals. Cream of tartar is naturally present in grapes. It deposits when the wine is left to stay in tanks, especially during winter months. Cream of tartar is purified without adding any toxic or noxious chemical additives. The result is the white powder, which has always been used to make cakes. Some very famous industries today prefer to use natural products, such as cream of tartar, thus treasuring ancient traditions. Cream of tartar was well known in ancient days, ever since wine was made from grapes, since it could be gathered on the sides and at the bottom of wine vases. Alchemists used it as a flux for certain metals; Paracelsus claimed it had great therapeutic virtues, a panacea for every illness. Van Helmont explained how the cream was separated from the wine. Boerhave also identified it in grape must, and other chemists such as Libavius, Corvnus and Sola discovered the presence of potassium in it. In the VIIIth century, it was given the name of tartar, an Arabic word meaning wine deposit. Tartaric products in general today are in great demand, due to their excellent ease of digestion, in the business of improvements for bread making.