"Discovered accidentally by Dr. O.A. Battista, avicel is a microcrystalline cellulose powder. Available both as a fine powder and a gel, it can be used to replace dry or fat-based ingredients in food preparation and adds no taste, calories, smell, or nutrition to the food. Wood is chemically treated to extract naturally occurring cellulose to create avicel. This purified cellulose can then be used in food preparation, makeup, and sunscreen products. Batitsta made his discovery when working to develop a strong rayon tire cord. He thought that if he could break the cellulose into extremely tiny pieces that he would be able to use it to create a strong chord. Using a blender to mix cellulose and water, he hoped the smallest pieces would sink to the bottom after the electric blender had done its work. After a quarter hour rest period, the substance in the blender resembled thick white custard. These were not the results he was expecting, so he continued with further tests. Cellulose, found abundantly in grass and trees, has no ill effects on cows, termites, and other consumers. It was tested to see if it could also be used in food for people, and eventually approved as an inert filler in food." There's the history of plastic or cellulose introduced into our foods. The stuff fills yer belly, but adds no body weight.....great discovery! Unknowns include how yer body's processes perceive this new invader......do the immune cells look at it suspiciously? "Inert filler in food". Why? Proly because it's so damned cheap, they can add it in, at lower cost to themselves, maintain current price levels, make us feel "full", and further widen the gap between natural food consumption and user-consumed non-foods. Frank
A couple decades ago, there was a white bread that was made from a similar substance. It tasted like fine white bread, and could be used as white bread, although I don't recall if it toasted well. It sold like gangbusters initially as a diet bread, but when it was circulated that it was bread made from sawdust, I believe sales plummeted and it was removed from the market.
They put very nasty things in bread. The U S uses L-Cysteine derived from human hair, pig hair and duck feathers. Because it's dissolved in food grade acid, they aren't required to list it, but if they list it under ingredients, it's often listed as "dough conditioners." Not long ago, I saw a written ad for Five Guys (hamburger chain) and they stated they don't use dough conditioners. I drive 140 miles round trip to Whole Foods and buy a lot of bread and freeze it. They state they don't sell products with L-Cysteine. Cans of Kraft Parmesan Cheese, labeled 100% cheese have been sold that contain wood pulp. https://www.today.com/food/how-make-sure-you-re-getting-real-parmesan-cheese-t74191 The FDA standards are not what they should be at all, imo. I was shocked to find out all the very nasty non-food things they allow in food. (I've not embedded a link before and couldn't make it work. I'll check for instructions for next time.)
I read where they pump air into ice cream to give it more volume. There are some ice creams that do not melt. Air: The invisible Ice Cream ingredient
@Joe Riley: air, the invisible ice cream ingredient. Lol. I don't mind that. Well, I don't like paying for it, but I don't cringe at the thought of air as an extra ingredient.