Where is cellulose found

Cooked sweet potatoes are relatively high in fiber, with a medium-sized sweet potato containing 3. Cellulose is one of the most widely used natural substances and has become one of the most important commercial raw materials. The major sources of cellulose are plant fibers cotton, hemp, flax, and jute are almost all cellulose and, of course, wood about 42 percent cellulose. Cellulose cannot be digested by the human gastrointestinal tract or the bacteria present in it.

The ingested cellulose passes through the digestive system and is released through defecation. Cellulose helps prevent constipation by providing the required fibers in the diet. Unless our bodies adapted to a having a higher internal temperature, we would basically have a life-threatening fever whenever we ate cellulose. For another thing, undigested cellulose, dietary fiber, is used to facilitate digestion in humans, so the body would have to adapt to that as well. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search.

Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Essay Where can we find cellulose? Ben Davis March 15, Where can we find cellulose?

Where is cellulose found in nature? Is cellulose found in plants or animals? What does cellulose come from? Payen also determined the chemical formula. In , the first thermoplastic polymer, celluloid, was produced by Hyatt Manufacturing Company using cellulose.

From there, cellulose was used to produce rayon in the s and cellophane in Hermann Staudinger determined the chemical structure of cellulose in In , Kobayashi and Shoda synthesized cellulose without using any biological enzymes. The linkages in cellulose make it a straight chain polymer.

The hydroxyl groups on the glucose molecules form hydrogen bonds with oxygen atoms, holding the chains in place and conferring high tensile strength to the fibers.

In plant cell walls, multiple chains bond together to form microfibrils. Pure cellulose is odorless, flavorless, hydrophilic, insoluble in water, and biodegradable.

It has melting point of degrees Celsius and can be degraded into glucose by acid treatment at high temperature. Cellulose is a structural protein in plants and algae. Cellulose fibers are enmeshed in a polysaccharide matrix to support plant cell walls. Plant stems and wood are supported by cellulose fibers distributed in a lignin matrix, where the cellulose acts like reinforcing bars and the lignin acts like concrete.

Some types of bacteria secrete cellulose to produce biofilms. The biofilms provide an attachment surface for the microorganisms and allow them to organize into colonies. While animals cannot produce cellulose, it is important to their survival. Some insects use cellulose as a building material and food. Ruminants use symbiotic microorganisms to digest cellulose.

Humans can't digest cellulose, but it is the main source of insoluble dietary fiber, which affects nutrient absorption and aids defecation. Many important cellulose derivatives exist.

Many of these polymers are biodegradable and are renewable resources. Cellulose-derived compounds tend to be non-toxic and non-allergenic. Cellulose derivatives include:. The principal commercial use for cellulose is paper manufacturing, where the kraft process is used to separate cellulose from lignin.

When you eat plant foods, you are consuming cellulose. But you may not be aware that cellulose fiber is also removed from plants to be used as an additive in many other foods as well as sold as supplements 1. Cellulose is made up of a series of sugar molecules linked together in a long chain. When you eat food that contains it, cellulose stays intact as it passes through your small intestine. Humans do not have the enzymes needed to break down cellulose 1.

Cellulose is also an insoluble fiber and does not dissolve in water. When consumed, insoluble fibers can help push food through the digestive system and support regular bowel movements 2. In addition to their role in healthy digestion, dietary fibers like cellulose may promote health in other ways. Studies suggest that high dietary fiber intake may reduce the risk of several diseases, including gastric cancer and heart disease 3.

Fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains , nuts, seeds, and other plant foods contain varying amounts of cellulose. The skin of plant foods usually has more cellulose than the flesh.

Celery, in particular, is very high in cellulose. If you have ever gotten stringy pieces from celery stuck between your teeth, then you have felt cellulose in action 4. Cellulose is also a common food additive. When used in this way, it is either taken from wood or waste from the production of plant foods, such as oat hulls or peanut and almond skins 1.

Cellulose may be added to shredded cheese or dried spice blends to prevent clumps. Bread products may be enriched with cellulose to boost their fiber content. In addition, cellulose can provide bulk to diet or low calorie foods, such as meal replacement shakes, to make them filling without increasing the total calories 1.

Finally, cellulose is available in supplement form. Cellulose supplements often contain a modified version of cellulose that forms a gel in the digestive tract. Makers of these supplements claim that they help fill you up, lower calorie intake, and promote weight loss 2 , 5.

A manufacturer-funded study on the weight loss effects of the cellulose supplement Plenity found that people who took the supplement lost more weight than those who took a placebo after 24 weeks. Still, more long-term studies are needed 5. Cellulose is found in all plant foods and in supplement form.