Ethylcellulose

Description

Ethylcellulose is directly extracted from plant fibre (cellulose, cotton) and is then chemically modified. Cellulose, a mixture of different components, forms the structural support for plant cells and therefore is present in all plants. Cellulose is indigestible to humans.

Application

Ethylcellulose is predominantly used in food supplements and flavourings in capsules. It functions as a binding and filling agent or serves as protective coating. Apart from that, ethylcellulose can function as an emulsifier to stabilise water-oil-mixtures.

Biotechnology

Cellulose is a by-product of cotton production

• GM- cotton is grown on a large scale in many countries, primarily in the USA, China and India. It is therefore likely that a certain portion of cotton raw materials stems from GM plants.

• In the EU a number of GM cotton varieties are approved for use as food and feed; this also covers cellulose and other additives derived from these plants.

EU labelling: Cellulose is subject to labelling if it has been produced directly from GM cotton.

Whether this regulation also applies to the chemically modified cellulose derivates E461 - E469 has not been ultimately clarified.