Diatomaceous Earth packaged under our FOSSIL SHELL FLOUR® label comes from an extremely pure fresh water deposit of the diatom Aulacoseira from a deposit created in the Miocene epoch. Why is this diatom so special? Its shell is made of amorphous silica. Its shape and hardness are important to how it works. Its hardness keeps it from dissolving in liquid. The holes along the diatom's wall allow it to absorb moisture, hence its use as an anti-caking agent. Darker colored Diatomaceous Earth often contains an excess of a particular mineral such as iron or a high percentage of clay.
Perma-Guard, with more than 40 years of experience, is the company known world wide for using a grade and quality of Diatomaceous Earth that is extremely pure. It was important to have a consistent shape diatom and no unwanted sediment. The shape of the diatom must be tubular with holes on the walls. It must be fresh water because the diatoms form a harder shell and is less fragile that those in salt water. Salt water deposits contain a mix of diatom species. These deposits shapes and sediments are inconsistent making them unusable for our products.
Out of 600 deposits in the US only 4 are considered "Food Grade" by the FDA standards. Other food grade deposits may contain higher amounts of sediment and clay that make them less effective. Depending upon how the deposits were formed, clay particles may be present in sufficient quantities to clog the pores of the fossilized shells. If this is the case, the effectiveness of the Diatomaceous Earth is severely reduced. We have analysis of many other "Food Grade" deposits and are satisfied that we still obtain the Diatomaceous Earth for our products from the purest fresh water source.
Perma-Guard products use Diatomaceous Earth, mother natures eco-friendly naturally organic material. Our products fit into the "Living Green" lifestyle. Actually, Diatomaceous Earth is not an earth. It is the fossilized remains of microscopic shells created by one celled plants called DIATOMS. Not all deposits of Diatomaceous Earth diatoms present in those deposits are the same. Perma-Guard's FOSSIL SHELL FLOUR® is a very pure form of Diatomaceous Earth used as an anti-caking feed additive.
Diatomaceous Earth is used in agriculture for grain storage as an anticaking agent, as well as an insecticide. Made up of a siliceous sedimentary rock containing the fossilized skeletal remains of diatoms, it is hypothesized that the sharp particles physically cut up the insects and also damage their waxy protective layer, causing dehydration.
