Keep Eating That American Parmesan: Wood Pulp Is Healthy, Scientists Now Say

We were shocked and a little grossed out when we found out that according to a Wall Street Journal study, most "100% Parmesan" cheese is actually diluted with wood pulp. But there is a silver lining to this dairy unfortunate situation.According to recent research by scientists at the Technical Research Center of Finland wood components like Xylan, fibrillated cellulose and lignin can actually improve the texture and quality of food.

Specifically, the study cites foods like yogurt, baked goods, and meat products could be improved by this chemical components.

"The food industry is continuously looking for new, natural ingredients that improve the quality of food products and promote consumers' health," researchers say in their study. "Studies conducted by VTT have shown that xylan, fibrillated cellulose and lignin have properties that make them stand out from traditionally used ingredients."

To put that in layman's terms: That wood pulp might actually make your cheese taste better.