Wood Pulp is the Food Industry’s New Miracle Product

What is cellulose?

Cellulose has recently become a popular food additive; from ice cream to salad dressing, food companies are taking advantage of this miracle product that cuts calories and costs.  But what exactly is cellulose and how is it being used?  Cellulose is an essentially non-toxic, processed wood pulp that can be manipulated and used in various ways.  The type of cellulose most popular in food manufacturing is generally a processed powder or pulp from virgin wood (cnaturalnews.com).

Most commonly, cellulose is used in processed food manufacturing as a fiber supplement, calorie reducer, emulsifier, and for anti-caking purposes (source).

Food manufacturers are increasingly using cellulose as an inexpensive filler that has no caloric or nutritional value. The human digestive system does not have the enzymes required to digest cellulose.  Therefore, when cellulose is consumed, it merely passes through the body.  Inability to digest cellulose makes it a key ingredient in the manufacturing of diet food products because it provides bulk without caloric content and without significantly altering taste.  “People who eat foods with a high cellulose content [feel] full physically and psychologically without having [to] consume many calories” (Source).  In fact, cellulose is most common in foods that are labeled as being high in fiber or reduced fat.

Cellulose has emulsifying and gelling properties, when combined with water, that both thicken and stabilize the food to which it is added.  For this reason, cellulose is often added to sauces and dressings in order to improve texture.  This property also improves the texture of dietary ice cream products.

Lastly, cellulose is ideal for anti-caking applications because of its ability to absorb moisture.  Manufacturers of shredded and grated cheeses use cellulose to prevent the cheese from sticking.  Cellulose’s water absorbent properties are also used in spice mixes and powdered drink mixes in order to prevent dampness.

Why is demand for cellulose going up?

There are three factors that account for the increased popularity of cellulose: (a) endorsement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), (b) low cost when compared to alternative products, and (c) multiplicity of potential uses of cellulose in food products.  Let us examine each of these.

According to the FDA, cellulose is safe for human consumption despite the fact that humans lack the necessary enzymes to digest this ingredient.  Furthermore, the FDA has not imposed any restrictions with respect to how much cellulose can be used in food products as a filler.  On the other hand, it is important to note that the USDA has limited the use of cellulose in meat products to 3.5%.  The lack of meaningful restrictions with respect to its use makes cellulose appealing to food manufacturers across all boards.

Though cellulose is not necessarily harmful when consumed, it is significantly processed and treated heavily with chemicals in order to be used in food production.  For example, "commercial processing of microcrystalline cellulose involves the hydrolysis of the purified wood pulp using hydrochloric acid."  Hydrochloric acid is an extremely corrosive strong acid with many industrial uses.  This extra processing can be concerning to those who are concerned about eating more "natural" foods.  Those concerned should avoid food products that have added cellulose as those products are likely highly processed.

The use of this ingredient is much less expensive when compared to ‘real’ food ingredients such as oil or flour, which are becoming pricier.  By using cellulose, food manufacturers can save as much as 30% in ingredient costs.  “The rising cost of raw materials like flour, sugar and oil is helping boost the popularity of these additives.”

Cellulose has a multitude of uses in the manufacturing of processed food goods.  “Food-product makers use it to thicken or stabilize foods, replace fat and boost fiber content, and cut the need for ingredients like oil or flour, which are getting more expensive” (Source).  According to Dr. Jennifer Nelson, small cellulose particles impart a smooth consistency, mouthfeel and stickiness to products such as salad dressings, barbecue sauces and, yes, ice cream.  Longer fiber lengths provided by cellulose additives allow for a more firm texture in baked goods.  Cellulose also contributes to moisture retention, which helps to keep food products from seeming dry.

For the various reasons noted above, cellulose now plays a valuable role in the food industry, and we may expect to see its continued use in the near future.

Carophyll: Because color matters

  

Why does color matter?

          Companies have long utilized colors in order to make their goods appear more appealing to consumers.  Color and design play a significant role in the consumer experience.  In fact, color is the most influential visual cue with respect to inspiring purchases.  The following infographic from KissMetrics, based on “The Effects of Store Environment On Shopping Behaviors” by Shun Yin Lam, details the tremendous impact color has on purchases.

(Source)

            The above graphic clearly demonstrates that consumers value a product’s visual appearance above all other factors when shopping.  The same is true for food products.  Mike Adams from Natural News discusses in this article how color triggers humans’ innate perceptions about the nutritional value of food items.  Humans are wired to view vibrant foods as healthy; the more saturated the color, the better.  By using artificially saturated colors, food manufacturers take advantage of humans’ inherent attraction to colorful food in order to improve sales.

Artificial Food Colorants & Aquaculture

        There is an immense market for artificial food colorants because of the direct relationship between colors and how appetizing a food product appears.  This is particularly true for the aquaculture industry.  According to a 2009 Stanford study, farmed fish account for approximately half of total global fish consumption.

Salmon, particularly Atlantic salmon, is one of the most important fish groups in aquaculture. As much as 95 percent of Atlantic salmon sold in American supermarkets is farm-raised.  Though fish farms have significantly increased the quantity of salmon available for consumption, these farms are not conducive to the development of salmon’s characteristic vibrant pink and orange hue.  The natural color of a farmed salmon’s flesh is significantly less colorful when compared to their wild counterparts.  Typically, the flesh of a farm raised salmon is an unappetizing greyish color. As such, farm-raised salmon must be dyed in order to be marketable to consumers.

Carophyll and the SalmoFan

          Hoffman-La Roche is a pharmaceutical company that produces a range of dyes, which are used in salmon feed in order to alter the color of farm-raised salmon.  The synthetic color consumed by aquaculture fish is called Carophyll.  Carophyll has been used for over 20 years for agricultural products and approximately 10 years in the aquaculture industry.  It has been used in all major aquaculture countries, particularly the United States and the European Union.  Hoffman-La Roche gives salmon farmers the option of selecting the shade of pink they would like included in their salmon food pellets with a color chart called the “SalmoFan.”

The entire process is much like selecting a paint color at a hardware or home supplies store. With color additives, producers of farmed salmon are able to deliver consistently colored salmon, without any of the benefits associated with the naturally occurring pigment in wild salmon.  More information from the manufacturer of Carophyll can be found here.

Wild vs. Farmed Salmon

            Carophyll mimics astaxanthin, a naturally occurring carteroid that gives shrimp, lobster, crab and salmon their bright hue.  Many health experts recommend eating astaxanthin rich foods, or taking astaxanthin supplements because this carteriod acts as a strong antioxidant, which supports good health.  Instead of astaxanthin, canthaxanthin is used to improve salmon's color.  Canthaxanthin is a carteroid that lacks the many benefits of astaxanthin because it is produced synthetically.


The use of Carophyll (and canthaxanthin) is not necessarily harmful, this colorant merely lacks the benefits of naturally occurring astaxanthin.  However, there were some concerns that canthaxanthin can cause retina damage:

"If ingested in sufficient quantity, canthaxanthin can form crystalline deposits on the retina. In the 1990s, driven largely by the use of relatively large oral doses of canthaxanthin in "tanning pills" (taken to give skin a suntanned color without the dangers of sun exposure), the Scientific Committee of Food of the European Union set standards for human canthaxanthin intake. While noting that the effects of canthaxanthin on eyesight were minor, reversible, and "not associated clinically with any significant adverse functional visual defects," the committee established a maximum allowable daily intake (ADI) of 0.03 milligrams of canthaxanthin per kilogram of body weight.  Based on this standard, the committee in January 2003 reduced the maximum allowable portion of canthaxanthin in salmonid feed from 80 ppm to 25 ppm (no such action levels exist for astaxanthin)." (Source)

The restrictions on the acceptable amount of canthaxanthin in salmon feed prevent this potential eye damage, however minimal.


Carophyll has none of the health benefits associated with astaxanthin.  As such, farm-raised salmon are significantly less nutritious when compared to their wild counterparts.  The following infographic details additional differences with respect to nutrition between wild and farmed-raised salmon.

Salmon is often touted for its significant health benefits; unfortunately the vast majority of salmon sold in American markets do not live up to the hype.  According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, farmed salmon contains twice the total fat and more than twice the amount of saturated fat compared to wild salmon.  The above table also demonstrates that salmon produced in aquaculture farms are not as rich in healthy Omega-3 fatty acids.  Furthermore, farm raised salmon are generally more calorific and have a higher “bad” (Omega-6) fat percentage.  According to researchers at puresalmon.org, wild “heart healthy” salmon are exceptionally rich in Omega-3 fatty acids while containing less than 1% body fat.  Contrarily, the body fat concentration of farm-raised salmon can be as high as 27%.

            So what can a consumer who wants the health benefits of truly wild salmon do to ensure they are buying the right product? Health expert, Mark Sisson, suggests buying less salmon in general in order to afford more expensive, genuine wild salmon.  He also advocates purchasing canned salmon.  Farmed salmon does not can as well as wild salmon, which means that the bulk of canned salmon is wild.

The Olive Oil Mafia: International Olive Oil Fraud

Today, thanks in part to the health claims made on its behalf and due to its good taste, olive oil is in the vast majority of American homes.  In fact, the U.S. is the biggest consumer of olive oil, having imported approximately 322 thousand tons of oil in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

The graph below utilizes data from the Department of Agriculture and demonstrates a steady growth in olive oil imports starting in the 1980s. 

(Source)

The U.S. Oil Imports by Year graph forecasts continued demand and increased imports for olive oil.

What is Olive Oil?

           So, what exactly is olive oil?  First we must look at the olive.  The olive fruit is very similar to both cherries and plums in that it is a stone fruit.  This means that olive oil is essentially a highly perishable fruit juice.  As such, it is important to purchase olive oils with a recent harvest/production date, as the oil deteriorates rather quickly.  See the following video from National Geographic for more information with respect to the production of olive oil.  This video demonstrates the current manufacturing process, in addition to the traditional method for harvesting olive oil.

            Olive oil is known for its extensive health benefits with respect to supporting immunity, protecting against viruses, and fighting a wide variety of diseases.  This article from the Olive Oil Times discusses how olive oil can contribute to the prevention and treatment of heart disease, diabetes, blood pressure, obesity and certain types of cancer among other ailments.  Rising health consciousness may be directly related to the growing demand for olive oil as a healthy food option.

What is Extra Virgin Olive Oil?

            According to standards established by the international Olive Council, “extra virgin” is the highest grade of olive oil available for sale.  There are strict regulations with respect to the production of olive oil in order to be classified as “extra virgin.”  The oil produced from the process detailed in the above video can only be classified as “extra virgin” if it has “less than 1% free oleic acid, and if it exhibits superior taste, color and aroma."  As the most desirable grade of olive oil, there is great temptation for manufacturers and distributers of olive oil to label their product as “extra virgin,” despite violations of international standards, in order to generate more profits.

Olive Oil and International Fraud

            The immense global market for Italian, extra virgin olive oil has resulted in a highly profitable international fraud with respect to both the production and distribution of olive oil.  According to Maziar Azizi, olive oil fraud has been a concern for thousands of years.  In fact, there are archeological records that imply the existence of an extensive “olive oil surveillance team” in order to ensure the authenticity of olive oil being sold.

Adulterated and even fake olive oil is widespread in the international market.  Many bottles are labeled “Made in Italy” or “Extra Virgin Olive Oil,” however the vast majority of these oils are not what they claim to be.  Alarmingly, in a study by UC Davis graduates, 69% of imported European olive oil sold as extra virgin on the in the state of California did not meet standards for extra virginity.  Some of the most popular brands failed chemical tests for extra virginity, including Bertolli, Newman’s Own Organic, and Pompeian. For more information about the extent of international olive oil fraud, see the full university report here.  

Most commonly, extra virgin oil is mixed with cheaper, refined, or lowergrade olive oils.   Oftentimes, supposedly “extra virgin” olive oils are mixed with different vegetable or nut oils, such as hazelnut, canola or colza oils.  Frequently, subpar olive oils from several different countries (primarily from Tunisia, Morocco, Greece, and Spain) are included in the mix and sold as “authentic Italian” or “extra virgin”.  These various oil blends are then colored, flavored and deodorized, and sold as extra virgin to a producer.

            Though there have been many investigations, arrests, and recalls in relation to olive oil fraud, the most notable scandal occurred in Spain in 1981.  Rapeseed oil adulterated with  aniline, which is a coal tar extract, was found responsible for the deaths of approximately 700 people.  This false olive oil resulted in symptoms of lung and neurological disorders in addition to muscular atrophy, bone deformations, premature aging and paralysis.  This mass poisoning disaster caused tremendous outrage among the Spanish general public, and resulted in the longest trial in Spanish history.

Is your olive oil the real deal?

            Given the extent of fraud in the global market for high quality olive oil, how can you be sure that you are buying the real deal?  Olive Oil expert, Tom Mueller, has put together a buyer’s guide for purchasing quality olive oil in North America on his blog “Truth in Olive Oil.”  Here are some key factors to keep in mind before purchasing a bottle of “extra virgin olive oil”:

• Bottles that are darker in color should be favored as they protect against light, which can speed up the deterioration of the oil.
• Do not be put off by a range of olive oil colors.  According to Mueller, “good oils come in all shades, from vivid green to gold to pale straw.
• Know the harvest date, specific producer, and exact production location for a particular olive oil to ensure quality.  If this information is omitted, it is likely that the oil is not authentic.
• To get the freshest possible olive oil, buy as close to the mill as possible.

For more tips with respect to purchasing, see Tom Mueller’s site http://www.truthinoliveoil.com and check out his book about fraud in the olive oil industry “Extra Virginity: The Sublime and Scandalous World of Olive Oil”