Food Chemistry

330 4 Carbohydrates

Table 4.27.Utilization of cellulose derivatives (in amounts of 0.01 to 0.8%)

Food product Cellulose derivativea Effect

123 Ab BCDEFGHI

Baked products + + + + +

Potato products + + + + +

Meat and fish + + + + +

Mayonnaise, dressings + + + + +

Fruit jellies + + + +

Fruit juices + +

Brewery + + + +

Wine ++ ++

Ice cream, cookies + + + +

Diet food + + + +

a1: Carboxymethyl cellulose, Na-salt; 2: methyl cellulose; 3: hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose.

bA: Thickening effect; B: water binding/holding; C: cold gel setting; D: gel setting at higher

temperatures; E: emulsifier; F: suspending effect; G: surface activity; H: adsorption; and I: film-

forming property.

The properties of the product depend on the
degree of substitution (DS; 0.3–0.9) and of
polymerization (DP; 500–2000). Lowsubstitu-
tion types (DS≤ 0 .3) are insoluble in water but
soluble in alkali, whereas higher DS types (> 0 .4)
are water soluble. Solubility and viscosity are
dependent on pH.
Carboxymethyl cellulose is an inert binding
and thickening agent used to adjust or improve
the texture of many food products, such as
jellies, paste fillings, spreadable process cheeses,
salad dressings and cake fillings and icings
(Table 4.27). It retards ice crystal formation in ice
cream, stabilizing the smooth and soft texture.
It retards undesired saccharose crystallization
in candy manufacturing and inhibits starch
retrogradation or the undesired staling in baked
goods. Lastly, Carboxymethyl cellulose improves
the stability and rehydration characteristics of
many dehydrated food products.

4.4.4.18 Hemicelluloses

The term hemicelluloses refers to substances

which occupy the spaces between the cellulose

fibrils within the cell walls of plants. Various

studies, e. g., on apples, potatoes, and beans,

show that xyloglucans dominate in the class

Dicotyledoneae. A section of the structure of

a xyloglucan from runner beans is presented in

Formula 4.161.

In the classMonocotyledoneae, the composition

of the hemicelluloses in the endosperm tissue

varies greatly, e. g., wheat and rye contain mainly

arabinoxylans (pentosans, cf. 15.2.4.2.1), while

β-glucans (cf. 15.2.4.2.2) predominate in barley

and oats.

(4.161)