Are you eating “sawdust” when you use pre-shredded cheese?

by Donovan Choy

CAN you imagine eating sawdust or wood pulp? While most would balk at that thought, the truth is “sawdust” is commonly found in many of the foods that we consume everyday.

For example, for those of us who enjoy the convenience of packaged shredded cheese, it’s worthy to note that there is a reason why the already-shredded cheese does not stick in clumps, and the price we pay for this convenience is consuming “sawdust” – it is added to prevent clumping.

If you’re stumbling over yourself to your kitchen already to check the ingredient list on your half-finished packet of shredded cheese in order to verify this claim, the ingredient will not show up as sawdust or wood pulp, as it is commonly referred to as “cellulose”.

What is cellulose?

Cellulose comes in a powdered form of microscopic virgin wood pulp pieces and plant fibre that coats the cheese and prevents it from clumping by blocking out moisture. It is also used to extend the life of our processed foods. It is also referred to as cellulose gel or gum, a common addition to dairy products such as ice cream in order to maintain a soft and creamy texture.

Can cellulose be found in anything else? Plenty of foods that we consume daily contain cellulose, including frozen pizzas, salad dressings, breakfast cereals, bagels, waffles, coffee creamers, and even pet food. While corn starch or potato starch can be used in its substitute, cellulose is often preferred due to its relative affordability.

Is it legal and safe?

At this point, you may be wondering how the addition of these fine particles of wood pulp is legal.

A spokesman from the Agri-food & Veterinary Authority of Singapore (AVA) said: “Cellulose is a purified substance obtained from fibrous plant material. It is added to food as an emulsifier, stabiliser or anti-caking agent. It is an internationally permitted food additive and is permitted for use in Singapore. Its safety has been established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives and it is also endorsed by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for use as a food additive.”

“The Singapore Food Regulations do not specify a maximum level of use for cellulose. Nonetheless, manufacturers should ensure that it should be used under good manufacturing practice, meaning that the quantity of cellulose added to food should be limited to the lowest possible level necessary to accomplish its desired effect,” AVA said.

Since the Singapore food regulations require the presence of all ingredients and additives to be declared on the label of a prepacked product, added cellulose too, has to be declared in the statement of ingredients on the label of a prepacked food.

Jackie Green, a British nutritionist and dietitian, who practises at The Singapore Nutrition said: “Cellulose is a natural part of many fruit and vegetables we eat. It is a fibre, and as such, important for healthy digestive function. Ideally we would get fibre from whole fruit and vegetables and not from processed food.”

Contrary to popular belief, cellulose is a perfectly safe ingredient and not “wood pulp”. It is often mistaken to be “wood pulp” largely in part to sensationalist scares on gossip news sites, shocking readers into a social media reaction. Cellulose is extracted from wood that is ground up, and this wood comes from trees and plants, and plants have cellulose.

Is there an alternative?

If you’re still feeling weirded out by the thought of consuming “pulp”, unprocessed cheese can be found in supermarkets as well, although one should expect a heftier price tag along with it. So, an alternative is to purchase your own blocks of cheese to shred, instead of pre-shredded packages of cheese. While that would mean more work for the cook, the upside is, perhaps, some peace of mind.

 

Featured image Sawdust by Flickr user Andreanna Moya Photography. CC BY 2.0. 

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