Wood: Food Industry’s ‘New Darling’

Wednesday, 04 May 2011 | by Pat's Picks

When’s the last time you snacked on some wood? More recently than you think, says the Wall Street Journal. Cellulose, which is made up of “minuscule pieces of wood pulp,” is the “new darling” of the processed food industry. Not only does it thicken and stabilize food, it can reduce fat and boost fiber content. Since it is inexpensive, manufacturers are increasingly turning to the additive in order “to give food more water, more air, [and] a creamy feeling in [the] mouth with less of other ingredients.” Nutritionists say while the idea of eating wood may gross you out, cellulose is a “harmless fiber that can often cut calories in food”; because it isn’t digestable by humans, it gives food extra weight without giving you any.