Cellulose is an
organic compound with the
formula (
C6
H10
O5)n, a
polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β(1→4) linked
D-glucose units.
Cellulose is the structural component of the primary
cell wall of
green plants, many forms of
algae and the
oomycetes. Some species of
bacteria secrete it to form
biofilms. Cellulose is the most common organic compound on Earth. About 33 percent of all plant matter is cellulose (the cellulose content of
cotton is 90 percent and that of wood is 50 percent).
For industrial use, cellulose is mainly obtained from
wood pulp and
cotton. It is mainly used to produce
cardboard and
paper; to a smaller extent it is converted into a wide variety of derivative products such as
cellophane and
rayon. Converting cellulose from
energy crops into
biofuels such as
cellulosic ethanol is under investigation as an alternative fuel source.
Some animals, particularly
ruminants and
termites, can
digest cellulose with the help of
symbiotic micro-organisms that live in their guts.
Humans cannot digest cellulose; it is often referred to as '
dietary fiber' or 'roughage' and acts as a
hydrophilic bulking agent for
feces.
Potassium chloride occurs naturally as
sylvite, and it can be extracted from
sylvinite. It is also extracted from
salt water ... Potassium is vital in the
human body and oral potassium chloride is the common means to replenish it, although it can also be diluted and given
intravenously ... It can be used as a
salt substitute for
food, ... Medically it is used in the treatment of
hypokalemia and associated conditions, for
digitalis poisoning, and as an
electrolyte replenisher.
vegetable gums (gum arabic, guar gum) All gums are polysaccharides, that is similar to
[COLOR=blue !important][COLOR=blue !important]sugars[/COLOR][/COLOR]
but with many sugar units making up a large molecule. They are bland in taste, odour less and tasteless. They may have a nutritional quality besides the primary function but they certainly help in digestion and may be used as laxatives. (from
www.foodadditivesworld.com)