ABSTRACT
Cellulose is said to be the most abundant organic compound on earth: it is a naturally occurring material that makes up about one-third of all plants. It is the main constituent of plant cell walls, along with hemicellulose, pectin and lignin. Even though cellulose shares similarities with amylose, in that it is a linear plant polysaccharide made up solely of glucose monomers, there is a difference in properties because of the way the monomers are linked together. Cellulase enzymes, which break down cellulose, are absent in the human digestive tract as well as that of most animals, so cellulose contributes to the indigestible component of plant food, which is referred to as dietary fibre. Cellulose, in its unmodified form, is insoluble in water. CMC is an anionic water-soluble cellulose derivative that is hygroscopic. CMC is a common thickener used in the food industry.
