DENZ Diatomaceous Earth

Pure Food Grade

What is Diatomaceous Earth?

Quite simply Diatomaceous Earth is the fossilized remains of ancient algal shells called Diatoms or Phytoplankton. Diatoms are the grass of the waterways of the planet.  Much in the same way grass is the staple food of land based herbivores. Diatoms (algae) are the foundation basis of all aquatic life and form the most plentiful group of individual species known to man.  There are more types of Diatoms in the world than all land plants combined.

The Diatoms living in the waterways absorb minerals and elements from water enabling them to ‘build‘ their tiny shells.  Consequentially, the fossilized remains have captured and contain the some 15 trace minerals used to form the shell.  As they die the microscopic diatoms drop to the bottom of the waterways and form deposits of essentially marine sediment.

These sedimentary deposits are later mined, milled, dried and bagged creating Diatomaceous Earth or more commonly known as DE.   DE is widely used internationally for a host of industrial, agricultural and horticultural applications.  

Just like all animal and plant groups there are many different species of Diatoms – potentially some 25,000 types world-wide.   Some Diatoms are salt water based, others are fresh water based.  

Salt water based DE is generally used for industry as a filtration aid, paint and chemical additives.  This salt water form of DE is known to be harmful to humans and animals and should only be used for their intended industries.

Fresh-water DE is considered to be ‘Food Grade’ and has been shown to have a myriad of uses.   For a number of decades fresh-water or food grade DE has demonstrated to have excellent health benefits for mammals and plants when used correctly.

Some of these areas include …

• In the Garden

• In the Home

• For Pets

• On the Farm

• Horticultural Applications

• Stock Feed Supplement

• Grain Storage protector

• Anti-caking agent

• Commercial Insecticide

Consumption by mammals Of many hundreds or possibly thousands of deposits of DE internationally and only a very small percentage of them are actually fresh-water based and consequentially can be rated as ‘Food Grade.

The Diatomaceous Earth sold on this site is imported from Perma-Guard in the United States and is considered to be one of the finest and purest in the world.   Perma-guard are the world leaders in DE being the longest and largest Diatomaceous Earth supplier internationally.

Perma-guard has a history in DE usage, testing and applications spanning over 4 decades with a client base across North America and now exports to 18 countries.  Perma-guard brands its DE under their unique, registered trademark – Fossil Shell Flour.

Don’t settle for anything less than Perma-guard Fossil Shell Flour for your home, your family, pets, farm or horticultural uses.  Fossil Shell Flour is the purest, most refined food grade DE available in the world that we know of.  Perma-guard have achieved OMRI (Organic Materials Review Institute) status for Fossil Shell Flour – certified Organic in the United States.  BioGro Organic status in New Zealand has just been approved as an animal feed supplement and soil conditioner.

How Diatomaceous Earth Works

Diatomaceous Earth from Perma-guard or Fossil Shell Flour are the fossilised remains of one-celled plants (phytoplankton) called diatoms that are mined in Nevada from the South Western region of the USA.

Examined under a microscope and magnified 7000x these tiny diatoms appear as spiny honeycombs or tiny cheese-grater like cylinders.  These microscopic cylinders are extremely hard and sharp.  On the hardness scale, diamonds are 9, DE is 7, insect exo-skeletons are typically rated a 3.

The upside of which is when insects (ants, fleas, flies, cock-roaches to name but a few) come into contact with DE it ultimately kills them.  The tiny particles of the sharp and hard DE stick to the insect, abrasively rub through and serrate their epi-cuticle and joints, absorb their bodily fluids and they die of dehydration.  This process is purely mechanical not chemical.  As such there is no build up or chemical residue, the insect cannot build up immunity or become tolerant to it.  There is no plant or livestock with-holding period for human consumption.

DE is a desiccant.  It absorbs moisture – some six times its own weight. 

DE is death to bugs – every-time!  However, the insect must come into contact with DE in order for it to work.  As a result Fossil Shell Flour is used extensively overseas in domestic and commercial applications as a natural insecticide with OMRI organic registration.

Despite Fossil Shell Flour having a debilitating and eventual fatal effect on bugs and insects it does not harm its warm blooded host and has no negative impact on mammals. 

Perma-guard’s Diatomaceous Earth deposit is 89 - 95 percent amorphous silica.  As well as being very high in silica percentage and also contains 15 essential trace minerals including phosphorous, selenium, calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, copper, zinc and iron.

In 1939, the Nobel Prize winner for chemistry, Professor Adolf Butenandt, proved that life cannot exist without Silica.

In the 2003 book "Water & Salt" Dr. Barbara Hendel stated: "Silica is the most important trace mineral for human health!"

Silica is the most plentiful element on earth, following oxygen; but there are very few foods that contain an adequate amount to supply the quantity your body needs. Silica is crucial to bones, tendons, skin, cartilage and blood vessels. Silica is even located in the blood itself and important organs such as the liver, heart, and lungs.

DE may be added to pet food to improve its texture and palatability to dogs, cats and pet birds.  

As well as the trace minerals, Fossil Shell Flour particles are negatively charged which is somewhat un-common in the elemental world.  Heavy metals, bacteria and viruses, pesticides and drug residues, E-Coli are typically positively charged.   As the tiny particles of DE sweep through the digestive tract they attract  or draw in the positively charged nasties, capture them within their framework and consequentially pass them out as waste. 

Regular consumption of DE can therefore potentially have a de-toxifying effect on some users.

Regular consumers of Diatomaceous Earth report a range of potential improvements in the areas of nails/hoofs, coat/hair, skin, general immunity, arthritis, colitis, cholesterol levels, blood pressure, weight loss, improved sleep, increased energy, general well-being and health.

Fossil Shell Flour has achieved OMRI registered, organic registration in the US.  Additionally, the United States FDA and the New Zealand Food Safety Authority (NZFSA) have assessed Fossil Shell Flour with GRAS status ‘Generally regarded as safe’.  NZ BioGro Organic registration has recently been approved as a livestock feed supplement and soil conditioner.