The Ultimate Guide To Cellulose And How It's Used In Our Food
On March 16, 2022, TikTok star @Onlyjayus released a video accusing the United States food industry of poisoning innocent Americans by putting wood chips in their food. The original TikTok reel, which has since been deleted, quickly went viral. The version uploaded to YouTube racked up a whopping 1.8 million views and counting. In the clip, the content creator alleged, "Wood chips in your food ... They disguise it as cellulose, or wood pulp [and you can find it in] everything from McDonald's to bagels to shredded cheese to pancake syrup ... Companies use it and say it's safe, but it's literally the same sh** they put on our playgrounds."
Coming from a TikTok star, these accusations may sound outlandish. However, the concerns voiced by @Onlyjayus reflect similar statements made just a few years prior. In 2014, NPR released an article titled "From McDonald's To Organic Valley, You're Probably Eating Wood Pulp." That same year, Quartz published a piece that declared, "There is a secret ingredient in your burgers: wood pulp."
Thanks to the gravity of these accusations, plenty of folks are left to wonder what cellulose is, which foods tend to contain it, and whether or not it is dangerous. Luckily, we have put together a complete guide to cellulose to help foodies understand the implications of eating this unconventional ingredient.
What is cellulose?
Contrary to certain accusations, cellulose is not just a code word for "wood pulp." In fact, as explained by Forensic Plant Science (via Science Direct), cellulose is a "polymer ... formed of glucose units that are connected in a unique way to make cellulose very resistant to breakdown." In nature, we most often find cellulose in the outer walls of plant cells. This unique element is what makes plants, like trees, flower stems, or even corn, feel rigid to the touch. Cellulose is present in wood chips, but we can also find it in edible varieties of plant life. Many of the fruits and vegetables that humans enjoy eating contain cellulose within their cells' walls.
Interestingly, some of the healthiest vegetables contain high levels of cellulose. A study in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association shows that green beans have significantly more cellulose in them than other veggies. When we stop to consider that green beans are one of the crunchiest veggies, this makes sense. After all, cellulose is the substance that makes green bean cells resistant to the force exerted by our teeth.
That being said, though, cellulose does a lot more than just make our vegetables crispy. It also provides us with quite a bit of nutritional benefits, particularly fiber. Because cellulose is difficult to break down, it is also challenging for our bodies to digest (via Science Direct). As a result, high cellulose plants, like green beans, are also high in fiber.
Which food items commonly contain cellulose?
Since cellulose comes from plants, the fruits and vegetables that you find at the grocery store will likely contain this substance. However, cellulose is also common in a number of other food items sold in the United States. The explanation for this is that cellulose is often added to processed foods, like prepackaged breads or cheeses, in order to help these products maintain their shapes for a long period of time. Speaking to NPR, Organic Valley's spokesperson, Elizabeth Horton, explained: "Yes, Organic Valley does use cellulose in our shredded cheeses; it's a pretty standard anti-caking agent." In other words, cellulose is one of the reasons why your shredded cheese doesn't melt into a blob en route to the grocery store from the factory.
In practice, this means that you can find cellulose in a bunch of different items. Men's Health compiled a list of popular food items that contain cellulose. Interestingly, the list noted several kinds of pre-made bread carbs like frozen pizzas and packaged cookies, as well as sauces like salad dressings and cheese dips. Dairy products seemed particularly prone to contain cellulose, with products ranging from coffee creamer to ice cream bars being made with this substance.
What does cellulose taste like?
Like many common food additives, cellulose is flavorless. In practice, this means that there is no way for you to use your tastebuds to determine whether or not your food contains cellulose. However, there is a possible downside to this substance's neutral flavor. Writing for The Counter, food journalist Sam Bloch explained, "But because cellulose has no taste and in its powdered form actually resembles grated cheese, cheesemakers may be tempted to use more of it than necessary."
This tendency became evident in 2016, when Bloomberg investigated just how much cellulose was in your average bag of shredded cheese. After testing different brands, the outlet discovered that many food companies include surprisingly high percentages of this substance in their products. Walmart's Great Value brand sold shredded cheeses that were actually about 7.8% added cellulose, while Kraft's cheeses were around 3.8% cellulose (via Virgin Islands Daily News). The Whole Foods brand, 365, had a comparatively lower cellulose content, with just 0.3% of their product made of this element.
Although it might seem odd for companies to sell cheese that has been effectively "watered down" with cellulose, the reason for doing so is cost. In an interview with The Counter, Schuman Cheese representative Lauren Dykes revealed that it is expensive to make cheese the old-fashioned way. Since Schuman sells cellulose-free parmesan, its product is not cheap. "Our cheese is real cheese. It takes more money, time, and thought to do it the right way," Dykes said.
Most of the cellulose we eat comes from wood chips
Not all cellulose comes from wood chips, but practically all of the cellulose that is served in our food is extracted from wood chips. While this might sound scary, it does not mean that we are necessarily eating wood chips. It just means that the wood chips contain a type of fiber that we often add to our processed foods. Companies pull this fiber, or cellulose, out of the wood chips and mix it in with other ingredients. Scientists say that, chemically speaking, the cellulose that comes from wood chips does not look any different than the cellulose that could be extracted from, say, a stick of celery.
In an interview with NPR, food scientist John Coupland affirmed this fact. The expert explained: "A good way to think about it is to ask: Would our food be any better or worse if the cellulose used was sourced from another plant?" He went on to state that the answer is: No. "Cellulose is just a molecule, and probably one we want more of in our diets," Coupland shared.
In the past, there have been efforts to find a new source for the cellulose used in food. In the late 1990s, for example, Heartland Fibers tried opening a cellulose plant that would extract the substance from corn husks. However, this project ultimately failed, leaving companies without an easily accessible cellulose alternative.
Is cellulose dangerous?
Even though cellulose is most commonly extracted from wood chips, it is not dangerous to consume, according to the USDA. Moreover, the United States is not the only country that has verified the safety of cellulose. In 2018, the European Commission of the European Union published a study that analyzed the safety of cellulose in our food. Ultimately, the investigation found that cellulose did not have carcinogenic properties, nor did it have any negative impact on reproductive health or human development. The substance was also found to pose no genotoxic issues. Consequently, the E.U. concluded that there were "no safety concerns" with cellulose. Therefore, the governmental organ decided to continue authorizing this substance in food.
Of course, it is important to note that humans do not have the enzymes required to adequately digest cellulose. Because this fiber is especially difficult to break down, it passes through our bodies until it is expelled. That being said, cellulose can actually aid our digestive systems, allowing the small intestine to function more efficiently (via Byjus). Plus, as revealed in a report by Harvard Health Publishing, eating a diet high in fibers, like cellulose, can actually be good for you. After all, a high-fiber diet can help you lose weight, lowering your risk for diabetes and heart disease.
American cellulose scandals
Just because cellulose has been approved for consumption doesn't mean that all Americans are happy about it. In recent years, there have been several lawsuits about cellulose's presence in our food. However, these scandals have largely pertained to false labeling — not the danger of cellulose.
The best example of this occurred in 2013, when the Castle Cheese Inc. factory in Pennsylvania was raided by the USDA. At the time, the company was lacing their parmesan with high quantities of cellulose and other cheese scraps in order to save money. Unfortunately, Castle Cheese was simultaneously labeling that same doctored cheese "100% grated parmesan." When a Castle Cheese employee anonymously reported the business to the authorities, scandal ensued. It was found that the company was illegally misrepresenting its cheese to the public. As a result, the Castle Cheese president, Michelle Myrter, was sentenced to three years' probation in federal court. She was also required to pay a $5,000 fine and do 200 hours of community service.
Interestingly, though, Castle Cheese is not the only company that has come under fire for this sort of misrepresentation. McDonald's was also sued for selling mozzarella sticks that were 3.76% cellulose, despite federal standards that prevented anything containing starch from being sold as mozzarella. Although the lawsuit was ultimately dropped, McDonald's removed mozzarella sticks from its menu.
Italian parmesan doesn't have cellulose
Even though government organs have deemed that cellulose is safe for consumption, many European cheese makers refrain from adding this substance to their products. The reason for this is that the E.U. has a "Protected Designation of Origin" program that seeks to protect the traditional food and wine making practices from different regions in Europe. For a product to earn the Denomination of Origin stamp of approval, producers must follow a strict set of regulations. When it comes to traditional cheeses, this typically means that the inclusion of modern food additives, like cellulose, are forbidden.
The most clear example of this is perhaps Italian parmesan. In Italy, by law, cheese must be produced in a pre-defined region near the country's northern border to be considered parmesan. In addition, the cheese must be made from cows that consume fresh grass and are milked twice a day for no more than four hours. It cannot be pasteurized. And it must coagulate within just a few hours of being milked. Later, once the cheese has been aged, there are even more regulations that control the size and weight of each wheel. In practice, this means that any wheel of cheese that does not weigh at least 66 pounds cannot be categorized as parmesan — even if it is identical to parmesan in every other way. As a result, the addition of something like cellulose to Italian parmesan would make the cheese, by law, an entirely different substance.
How is cellulose used in the E.U.?
Cellulose might not be common in European cheeses like parmesan, but that does not mean that it is banned from the continent. On the contrary, the E.U. has found cellulose safe for consumption. This means that many of the processed foods sold in the E.U. contain this substance. In Spain, for example, cellulose is often added to pre-packaged breads and cookies as a way to increase the fiber content of these products. On some occasions, the element has been used to produce fiber pills as well.
In France, powdered cellulose is also used as a food additive, although the country has not approved the substance as a cheap "filler." Instead, the ingredient is only approved for a few specific purposes, such as preserving food, emulsifying ingredients that don't typically mix, thickening sauces, glazing them, and helping them maintain their gel-like consistency. This means that cellulose is a common ingredient in French jellies and jams, as these spreads require the substance to give them the proper texture. Salad dressings are another common place to find cellulose in France, since the element is used to prevent oil and vinegar from separating in the bottle.
In addition to these nutritional uses for cellulose, the E.U. suggests adding the substance to other, inedible products. Napkins, cups, and other types of disposable picnic ware can be made with cellulose. Toothpaste and eyedrops also contain this fascinating ingredient.
Finding cellulose-free cheese in the United States
American consumers who are in the market for a type of cheese that isn't full of cellulose have plenty of options. Although they can be quite pricey, European cheeses are widely available in the United States. The options labeled with the Protected Designation of Origin, by definition, should not contain cellulose. In addition, Laughing Cow spreadable cheese does not have cellulose in it. As revealed by its ingredients list, the cheese simply includes milk, salt, butter, water, enzymes, and a few food additives meant for preserving the product (via EWG).
European brands are not the only ones that sell cellulose-free cheese in the U.S. For example, Target's brand Good & Gather offers shredded sharp cheddar cheese that does not contain this unique substance. The EWG shows that the main ingredient's in Good & Gather cheddar are milk, salt, and other enzymes. Interestingly, we can also see that the brand does not use cellulose as an anti-caking agent, instead opting for a combination of potato and tapioca starch to prevent the cheese from turning into a blob.