Allervibe
E466
Carboxymethyl cellulose
A chemically modified, water-soluble cellulose used as a thickener, stabilizer and bulking agent, also labelled cellulose gum.
i Additive Details
| Is E466 Carboxymethyl cellulose safe?
Approved in the EU and the United States and not a declarable allergen. It is essentially not absorbed, so large amounts act as a laxative. A controlled feeding study in healthy adults published in 2022 found that carboxymethyl cellulose shifted the composition of the gut bacteria and the metabolites they produce, and animal work has suggested emulsifier-like effects on the intestinal barrier. This evidence is still limited and has not changed the regulatory assessment.
| Uses
Thickens and stabilizes ice cream, dairy desserts, sauces, dressings, drinks, gluten-free bakery and reduced-fat products, where it holds water and keeps solids from settling or ice crystals from growing. It is just as common outside food, in toothpaste, eye drops and tablet coatings.
| Interactions
It binds to casein at low pH, which is why it keeps acidified milk drinks from separating. Its viscosity drops in the presence of high concentrations of calcium and other multivalent ions. It is frequently blended with other hydrocolloids such as xanthan gum (E415) and carrageenan (E407).
| Origin
Made from cellulose, normally wood pulp or cotton linters, which is treated with sodium hydroxide and then with monochloroacetic acid so that carboxymethyl groups attach to the cellulose chain. The additive sold is the sodium salt. It is plant-derived but chemically modified, and behaves quite differently from native cellulose.
| Daily Intake
No numerical ADI has been set. EFSA re-evaluated the celluloses, including E466, in 2018 and concluded that a numerical ADI was not needed and that there was no safety concern at the reported levels of use, while calling for more data on the modified celluloses.
Information is sourced from public regulatory bodies (EFSA, FDA, WHO) and is for reference only. Always read the package and consult a healthcare professional for medical advice.
Related additives
- E414 Acacia gum (Gum arabic) A soluble fibre made from the hardened sap of Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal trees, used as a thickener, emulsifier and glazing agent.
- E410 Locust bean gum A galactomannan gum milled from the seeds of the carob tree, used to thicken and stabilize.
- E412 Guar gum A galactomannan gum milled from guar beans, a legume, used to thicken and stabilize.
- E440 Pectins A family of plant polysaccharides extracted mainly from citrus peel and apple pomace, used as a gelling agent.
- E1412 Distarch phosphate A modified starch whose chains are cross-linked with phosphate groups so that it withstands heat, acid and stirring.
- E1442 Hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate A modified starch that is both cross-linked with phosphate and etherified with hydroxypropyl groups, which gives it freeze-thaw stability.
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