Carboxymethyl Cellulose is proposed to be allowed as a stabilizer in ready to serve beverages as GMP.
In a notification issued by FSSAI on 11th December 2014 they have proposed changes in the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Regulations, 2011 for labelling of Carboxymethyl Cellulose. The change has been made to regulation 2.4 that deals with ‘Specific Requirements/Restrictions on manner of labelling’.
Sub-regulation 2.4.5 deals with ‘Specific Labelling Requirements of other products.’ In this sub-regulation Carboxymethyl Cellulose will now be listed as clause 49. Once the changes are published in the Official Gazette then they will be known as the Food Safety and Standards (Packaging and Labelling) Amendment Regulations, 2014. Every package of Ready to Serve Beverages using Carboxymethyl Cellulose will need to mention the quantity of Carboxymethyl Cellulose that has been used along with the fruit content.
About Carboxymethyl Cellulose
Carboxymethyl Cellulose also commonly called CMC is used as a viscosity modifier or thickener and is used to stabilize emulsions in various products including ice-cream. CMC is nontoxic and is used because of its high viscosity. It is used extensively in gluten free products and in food products that have reduced levels of fat.
CMC powder is used a lot in the ice-cream industry as CMC makes it possible to make ice-creams without using a churning mechanism or salt ice mixers. It is also used in bakery products like in bread and cake preparations as it improves the quality of bread and reduces the use of fat. It is used by the biscuit industry because it helps to spread the fat evenly. With the help of CMC the biscuits can easily come out of the moulds and allows them to take an even and beautiful shape. Using CMC is also a cheaper option as the use of eggs and fat is reduced when using CMC. Other foods that the product is used in are candies, chewing gum, margarines and peanut butter since it improves texture and is an emulsifier.
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