Fiber

‘Powdered Cellulose’ Is Just a Nice Way of Saying There’s Wood Pulp in Your Fast-Food Meal

Celluose-sniffing cat is unamused.
Celluose-sniffing cat is unamused. Photo: iStockphoto

So, it’s probably better than finely diced bootleg Romanian horsemeat, but McDonald’s adds something called powdered cellulose, better known as wood pulp, to its fish fillets and chicken strips, while Burger King deploys it in their barbecue sauce and “cheese blends,” and it’s also in some stuff at Taco Bell. The ingredient, which has no nutritional value, helps powdery things stay powdered and prevents emulsified sauces from snapping, and a study suggests that microcrystalline cellulose, one form of many, can affect cholesterol levels adversely. On the other hand, fiber is fiber. [QZ]

‘Powdered Cellulose’ Is Just a Nice Way of Saying There’s Wood