CMC, or Sodium CarboxyMethylCellulose, is a water-soluble polymer derived from natural cellulose ether through chemical modification. As a key cellulose ether, it is valued for its versatile functionalities, including thickening, dispersing, suspending, binding, film-forming, acting as a protective colloid, and moisture retention. Widely used in food, pharmaceuticals, and toothpaste, CMC is an odorless, tasteless, non-toxic powder, granule, or fibrous solid, appearing white to slightly yellow.

• Solubility & Viscosity: It readily absorbs water and swells to form transparent, viscous colloidal solutions. Its viscosity in solution can decrease in the presence of salts like calcium or magnesium chloride.

• Stability: Solid CMC is stable under room temperature and light, suitable for long-term storage in dry conditions. It is hygroscopic, with moisture absorption equilibrating based on ambient temperature and humidity.

• pH & Reactivity: CMC solutions are generally neutral. They are incompatible with strong acids (may precipitate, except for acid-resistant grades) and certain heavy metal ions (tin, silver, iron, etc.), but are compatible with many other hydrocolloids like starches, pectin, and glycerol.

Food-grade CMC serves as an ideal food additive due to its thickening, emulsifying, stabilizing, moisture-retaining, and shaping properties. It helps reduce production costs, improve texture and taste, and extend shelf life across a broad range of solid and liquid foods.

1. Soy Milk & Plant-Based Drinks

• Function: Suspension, emulsification, stability. Prevents fat separation or protein settling.

• Benefit: Improves whiteness, sweetness, and helps mask beany flavors.

• Typical Dosage: ~0.5% of total weight.

2. Ice Cream

• Function: Controls ice crystal size, improves melt resistance, enhances texture (smooth/creamy), aids whipping/overrun.

• Usage: Often part of compound stabilizer/emulsifier blends or custom-blended in-house.

• Dosage: ~0.5% of total mix. High-viscosity grades are preferred.

3. Bakery & Noodle Products

• Bread: Improves crumb structure, volume, reduces crumbling, and extends freshness.

• Instant Noodles & Pasta: Enhances dough elasticity, improves cooking tolerance, provides a smooth mouthfeel, and can reduce oil absorption during frying.

• Dosage: ~0.5% of flour weight. High-viscosity grades are typical.

4. Instant Paste Foods (e.g., Nut/Seed Pastes, Congee)

• Function: Provides instant solubility in cold water, delivers a smooth texture, and improves the mouthfeel of artificial sweeteners. Offers superior stability compared to starch pastes.

• Dosage: ~0.35% of total weight.

5. Pastries, Mooncakes & Fillings

• Function: Extends shelf life by inhibiting mold growth and moisture loss (anti-staling). Improves crust gloss and gives fillings a softer, more fragrant quality.

• Application: Mixed into dough/filling or applied as a surface glaze.

• Dosage: 0.2% – 0.3% of total weight.

6. Frozen Dough Products (Dumplings, Buns, Spring Rolls, etc.)

• Function: Prevents cracking and deformation during freezing/thawing cycles, extending product shelf life and maintaining appearance.

7. Specialty Flours (e.g., Steamed Bun Flour, Dumpling Flour)

• Function: Enables the development of functionally enhanced, application-specific flours.

8. Condiments (Soy Sauce, Pastes, Jams, etc.)

• Function: Specially modified CMC grades offer salt/acid tolerance, thickening, and stabilization. They improve consistency, texture, and sensory qualities (appearance, aroma, taste).

• Dosage: 0.4% – 0.5% of total weight.