Prevents caking and clumping, binds water (used in diet foods), improves texture, thickens, emulsifies, used as a filler: Grated cheese, breads, diet foods, frozen dinners, sauces, salad dressings.

Cellulose is a safe and inexpensive carbohydrate that comprises the woody parts and cell walls of plants. It is a type of dietary fiber found naturally in fruits, vegetables, and cereals. The cellulose added to processed foods usu­ally comes from wood pulp (saw dust) or cotton lint. It can prevent caking, such as in grated parmesan cheese, but some companies fraudulently use it as a cheap filler in their “100%” grated parmesan cheese. It is also a cheap way to boost the fiber content on food labels, but it isn’t as healthful as fiber that comes from natural foods. 

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