Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) in food industry

Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) is the most widely used and the largest amount of cellulose type in the world. It is carboxymethyl derivatives of cellulose, also known as cellulose gum, is the most important Ionic cellulose gum.

There is food grade and industrial grade CMC. The actual substitution degree of CMC is between 0.4~1.5, and food grade substitution is 0.6~0.95, recently revised European legislation allows the DS in the CMC up to 1.5 used in food. Degree of substitution increases, and transparency and stability of the solution is also better.



CMC-Na is a white fibrous or granular powder, odorless, tasteless, hygroscopicity, easy to disperse in the water form a transparent colloidal solutions. Sodium carboxy methyl cellulose is a thickening agent. because of its good features so that it has been widely used in food industry. To some extent, it has promote the rapid and healthy development of the food industry.

Due to its thickening emulsifying role, it can stable acid milk beverage and can increased sticky of yogurt system; due to its hydrophilic and rehydration, it can be used for the improvement of bread and other pasta food quality, extend the shelf life of pasta products and improve the texture; because of its gel effect, therefore it can be used to make jellies and jams; it can also be used as edible coating material, compounded with other thickeners, smearing on the surface of some foods may be best to keep food fresh. As it is edible materials, it not have any adverse impact on human health. Therefore, as an ideal food additives, CMC-Na used very common in the food industry.

As to the thickening and emulsifying stability, food grade sodium carboxy methyl cellulose has emulsifying and stability on protein drinks. Generally, characteristics of fats beverages contain different levels of fat and some protein, easy to separate floating in storage to affect the appearance of the product. Besides, protein is easy to separate, particularly the products with low pH value, protein condensation, and CMC-Na can be an effective solution to these problems. It is transparent and stable colloidal dissolved in the water, and can stabilize the protein. At the same time, it reduces the surface tension between the water and fat, so it can make the fat fully emulsified. If you interest in CMC, please read more here.
Source:https://www.okchem.com/news/sodium-carboxymethyl-cellulose-cmc-food-industry.html