I just thought this was a good reminder as to why so many are working so hard to stay organic...

I found this while surfing for ways to improve the texture of my home-made gluten-free bread!

http://www.dow.com/methocel/food/index.htm      

This is why I stay away from sauces at restaurants. I try to ask for everything steamed with no sauce. I used to work at a "health food" restaurant and we put the nastiest things in our sauces. Working at a restaurant, you see how short cuts are made in order to save money. Flour is used as a cheap filler and sauce was made of mystery ingredients.  

Sauces and Gravies - In hot, thick liquids, METHOCEL™ Food Gums add velvety texture and stability. Their emulsification properties help prevent oil pooling during shelf life. They offer excellent stability across a wide range of temperature abuse common in food services.

®™* Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company ("Dow") or an affiliated company of Dow
       

Is this a good reminder or a bad reminder?


I found some general info on methyl cellulose on Wikipedia:

>>>
Methyl cellulose (or methylcellulose) is a chemical compound derived from cellulose. It is a hydrophilic white powder in pure form and dissolves in cold (but not in hot) water, forming a clear viscous solution or gel. It is sold under a variety of trade names and is used as a thickener and emulsifier in various food and cosmetic products, and also as a treatment of constipation. Like cellulose, it is not digestible, not toxic, and not allergenic.

Chemistry

Methyl cellulose does not occur naturally and is synthetically produced by heating cellulose with caustic solution (e.g. a solution of sodium hydroxide) and treating it with methyl chloride. In the substitution reaction that follows, the hydroxyl residues (-OH functional groups) are replaced by methoxide (-OCH3 groups).

Lubricant
Methyl cellulose is used as a variable viscosity personal lubricant; it is the main ingredient in K-Y Jelly.
>>>
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methylcellulose


Pretty versatile stuff. Is it natural? No. Is it safe?  

The product description says it's naturally derived from cellulose.  But then it's re-engineered, probably on a molecular level...  So, is it a food or a chemical?  The idea of that level of modification for an ingestible gives me what I call the *McShivers!*  

I'll pass.  

What kind of cellulose is it made from to begin with? Cellulose comes from plants, and  plants include avoids like corn or wheat. I looked through their website trying to find "allergen" information, but it's not there.

Quoted from website

Sauces and Gravies - In hot, thick liquids, METHOCEL™ Food Gums add velvety texture and stability. Their emulsification properties help prevent oil pooling during shelf life. They offer excellent stability across a wide range of temperature abuse common in food services.

Safe? The objects of concern here are 'shelf life', 'stability across a wide range of temperature abuse' and 'prevent oil pooling'. Buying organic, or even regular produce, and preparing it yourself is the only real defense against this engineering of a finished 'food'.

This stuff is safe only to the extent that you cannot pinpoint it's effects against the background noise of the food system in general.

Methyl cellulose is also in NAP products and it is safe in that quantity IMHO, but also in celiac products it is less dangerous than guar, xanthan gum and others gums. In the quantity to thickenb and stabilize sauces probably it is not a good idea and sweet rice flour is a lot better. Food inc. vade retro, they are so nasty also in frozen recipes !