The quality of many foods and other familiar products comes from glycerol, a sweet, viscous liquid that is classified as an alcohol. Candy, ice cream, and cake frosting, for instance, get their creamy consistency from glycerol. The liquid also gives toothpaste and facial creams their smooth texture and also prevents tobacco leaves from disintegrating during processing.

The name for glycerol derives from the Greek word for "sweet," glykys. Because of its taste and texture, glycerol is used as a sweetener and emulsifier in many foods. Because glycerol molecules [C₃H₅(OH)₃] contain hydroxyl groups (OH-) attached to carbon atoms, the substance is classified as an alcohol.

Also known as glycerin, glycerol occurs in the form of glycerol esters, or glycerides, in all fats and natural oils. In fact, olive oil was the substance in which glycerol was first discovered in 1783 by Carl Wilhelm Scheele while he was studying...