Is Carboxymethyl Cellulose safe to eat?
2026-04-13 10:25:29
Is Carboxymethyl Cellulose Safe to Eat?
Yes,food-grade carboxymethyl cellulose(CMC,also known as cellulose gum,E466)is recognized as safe for human consumption by major food safety authorities worldwide,including the U.S.FDA,the European Food Safety Authority(EFSA),the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives(JECFA),and China’s GB 1886.232 standard.
CMC is a non-digestible water-soluble fiber that passes through the digestive tract without being absorbed or metabolized.
It has no known carcinogenic,mutagenic,or acute toxic effects at normal food-use levels.
JECFA and EFSA have not set a restricted acceptable daily intake(ADI),confirming safety for general population use,including children and pregnant women.
At extremely high doses,some people may experience mild digestive effects such as bloating or soft stools,similar to other dietary fibers.This is not a safety concern under normal food conditions.
In short,when used as an additive in processed foods within permitted levels,CMC is completely safe to eat.
References
GB/T 7714
Codex Alimentarius Commission.Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives:Summary of Evaluations Performed by JECFA[J].Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,2022.
MLA
Codex Alimentarius Commission.Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives:Summary of Evaluations Performed by JECFA.Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations,2022.
APA
Codex Alimentarius Commission.(2022).Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives:Summary of evaluations performed by JECFA.Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations.
