Water Retention Capacity and Viscosity Effect of Powdered Cellulose

Powdered cellulose is a natural beta‐l,4‐glucan polymer. It is 99% total dietary fiber (dwb) and has many uses as a low‐calorie food ingredient. Depending on its fiber length, cellulose can retain 3.5 to 10 times its weight in water. Temperature and pH exerted small effects on water rentention capacity. A powdered cellulose with a 110‐micron fiber length significantly increased viscosity. Its ability to increase viscosity was further, magnified in solutions containing low amounts of stabilizers. This fiber may act synergistically with other stabilizers to increase viscosity.