ABSTRACT
Cellulose, a constituent of the plant skeleton, is produced by land plants. It is also a major component of the cell walls of practically all the plants, fungi, and various algae. Non-pathogenic bacteria, such as the subspecies of Acetobacter aceti, produce bacterial cellulose (BC) by fermentation, and this BC is different from the fibrillated or crystallized cellulose manufactured from the pulp. The chemical structure of BC is the same as that of cellulose from plants. BC is used to stabilize dispersions, suspensions, and emulsions as a fat-replacing agent, as a thickener and texturizer, and to prevent protein aggregation, among many other functions. Although BC has important applications in a variety of food formulations, its use in the kitchen at this stage is minimal. Finally, in mayonnaise and dressings, BC can very effectively substitute starch as a fat replacement.
