Recent advances in the fabrication, health benefits, and food applications of bamboo cellulose

The food industry has great potential to utilize bamboo as a valuable feedstock, as it is one of the fastest-growing natural resources. Plant cell wall contains a wide spectrum of polysaccharides, including bamboo cellulose. Biofuels and bio-products can be produced efficiently from bamboo through the elucidation and understanding of bamboo cellulose. This review summarized the recent reports on bamboo cellulose, including, focused on the extraction and purification methods, molecular interactions of cellulose with other components of bamboo like lignin and hemicellulose, as well as preparation methods. In addition, attention was also paid to the health benefits of bamboo cellulose including weight loss, improving appetite and digestion, and curing several chronic diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases. Finally, the potential food applications of bamboo cellulose in a variety of areas such as biomaterials and food with a focus on the health benefits are also reviewed.