Ultra pure gypsum, more commonly referred to as "Terra Alba," is used in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Approximately 197,000 tons of gypsum is used in the United States as food binder and an inert pill manufacturing-packaging medium for pharmaceutical drugs. The purity of food and pharmaceutical grade gypsum is 98 percent plus. Diamond K, utilizing proprietary quarrying and processing techniques produces a food and pharmaceutical "Terra Alba" gypsum product exceeding 98 percent purity. Special selective mining and quality control procedures during processing assures product compliance with United States food and pharmaceutical requirements and regulations.
    Diamond K's Calcium Sulfate products serve the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries as an economical source of supplemental calcium. They are used in enriched flour and breads, cereals, baking powder, yeast foods, bread conditioners, canned vegetables, and artificially sweetened jellies and preserves. In beer manufacturing, the calcium ion in the form of calcium sulfate, together with the needed buffering action as provided by proper water correction, promotes proper gelatinization of the starch in the cooker mash, as well as protein degradation and starch conversion. Thus, yield in the main mash is increased. In addition, the color of the wort is lower, and better precipitation and flocculation of undesirable protein complexes are achieved. The result is a paler, smoother-tasting beer with improved stability and shelf life.
    For pharmaceutical applications, calcium sulfate is extensively used as a diluent serving as an excellent inert extender while it supplies dietary calcium.