Cellulose Gum
<p><b >Carboxymethyl cellulose</b> (CMC) or <b >cellulose gum</b><sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose_gum#cite_note-0" >[1]</a></sup> is a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulose" title="Cellulose" >cellulose</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Derivatization" title="Derivatization" >derivative</a> with carboxymethyl groups (-CH<sub >2</sub>-COOH) bound to some of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroxyl" title="Hydroxyl" >hydroxyl</a> groups of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glucose" title="Glucose" >glucopyranose</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monomer" title="Monomer" >monomers</a> that make up the cellulose <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polymer" title="Polymer" >backbone</a>. It is often used as its <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sodium" title="Sodium" >sodium</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salt_(chemistry)" title="Salt (chemistry)" >salt</a>, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose.</p>
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CMC is used in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Food_science" title="Food science" >food science</a> as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscosity" title="Viscosity" >viscosity</a> modifier or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thickener" title="Thickener" class="mw-redirect" >thickener</a>, and to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stabilizer_(chemistry)" title="Stabilizer (chemistry)" >stabilize</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emulsion" title="Emulsion" >emulsions</a> in various products including <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ice_cream" title="Ice cream" >ice cream</a>. </p>
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As a food additive, it has <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E_number" title="E number" >E number</a> E466. It is also a constituent of many non-food products, such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/K-Y_Jelly" title="K-Y Jelly" >K-Y Jelly</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toothpaste" title="Toothpaste" >toothpaste</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laxative" title="Laxative" >laxatives</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diet(nutrition)" title="Diet (nutrition)" >diet</a> pills, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water" title="Water" >water</a>-based <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint" title="Paint" >paints</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Detergent" title="Detergent" >detergents</a>, textile <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sizing" title="Sizing" >sizing</a> and various <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paper" title="Paper" >paper</a> products. It is used primarily because it has high <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viscosity" title="Viscosity" >viscosity</a>, is non-toxic, and is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hypoallergenic" title="Hypoallergenic" >hypoallergenic</a>. In laundry detergents it is used as a soil suspension polymer designed to deposit onto cotton and other cellulosic fabrics creating a negatively charged barrier to soils in the wash solution. CMC is used as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lubricant" title="Lubricant" >lubricant</a> in non-<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volatility(chemistry)" title="Volatility (chemistry)" >volatile</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_drop" title="Eye drop" >eye drops</a> (<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artificial_tears" title="Artificial tears" >artificial tears</a>). Sometimes it is <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl_cellulose" title="Methyl cellulose" >methyl cellulose</a> (MC) which is used, but its non-polar <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methyl" title="Methyl" class="mw-redirect" >methyl</a> groups (-CH<sub >3</sub>) do not add any solubility or chemical reactivity to the base cellulose.</p>
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