Carboxymethyl cellulose

From Freepedia

Carboxymethyl cellulose, or CMC, is a cellulose derivative with carboxymethyl groups (-CH2-COOH) bound to some of the hydroxyl groups of the glucopyranose monomers that make up the cellulose backbone. It is synthesized by the alkali-catalyzed reaction of cellulose with chloroacetic acid.

CMC is used in food science as a viscosity modifier, or thickener and to stabilize emulsions. It is also a constituent of many non-food products, such as K-Y_Jelly.

The functional properties of CMC depend on the degree of substitution of the cellulose structure (i.e. how many of the hydroxyl groups have taken part in the substitution reaction) and also on the chain length of the cellulose backbone.