It serves as a humectant and sweetener in food (cookies liqueurs) moisturizer in cosmetics (soaps lotions) solventlubricant in pharmaceuticals (syrups suppositories) antifreeze and industrial lubricant or fermentation nutrient.

Its primary purpose is moisture retention via hydrogen bonding osmotic effects in medicine (e.g. cerebral edema reduction) and as a non-toxic solventplasticizer due to three hydroxyl groups enabling versatile intermolecular interactions.

Glycerol (CHO) also known as glycerin or 123-propanetriol is a colorless odorless sweet-tasting viscous hygroscopic trihydroxy alcohol liquid with molecular weight 92.09 gmol density 1.25 gmL boiling point 182C freezing point 18C and complete miscibility with water and alcohols.