Prepared Foods
Delicious and nutritious
Minimize oil uptake, while maximizing crunch, taste and texture - no small task but Ashland is up to the challenge. As passionate, tenacious solvers we enjoy solving tricky - yet tasty - challenges. Providing fried food - that while low in fat - are high in flavor and crunch is a goal for food manufacturers in many parts of the world and as a global company, Ashland can work with you to find solutions. Ashland also has the history of delivering solutions for improving the taste and texture and 'mixability' of dry mixes. Let Ashland take a bite out of your problems with a full serving of solutions.
Fried foods are popular in all regions of the world, yet consumers look for reduced-fat foods that deliver good taste and texture. Reducing oil uptake can lead to healthier foods, improved quality and decreased manufacturing costs. Ashland’s modified cellulose and cellulose gum products have been proven to reduce oil uptake while improving product integrity through thermal gelation and water binding.
Prepared foods range from fried foods to dry mixes to extruded snacks, and the water-binding properties of our gums add value from processing to the final bite. Are you having problems extruding a new snack formulation? Cellulose gum can act as an extrusion aid by retaining water in the mix. Do your customers complain that a dry mix does not hydrate fast enough? Cellulose gum can improve hydration speed by pulling the water into the formulation. Or maybe you are just looking to retain shape through various freeze-thaw and cooking cycles. Cellulose gum and modified cellulose deliver structure control and stabilization.
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Cellulose Gum
Cellulose gum, or sodium carboxyethylcellulose (CMC), from Ashland is widely used as a cost-effective thickener and stabilizer in food and beverages. In addition to modifying the behavior of water, cellulose gum is useful in modifying flow, adding texture and enhancing mouthfeel. A wide range of cellulose gum grades with different viscosities, molecular weights, degrees of substitution and particle sizes are available and products can be customiz...
Benecel™ modified cellulose
Benecel™ modified celluloses, also known as methylcellulose (MC) and hydroxypropylmethylcellulose (HPMC), are versatile, multifunctional food gums. The polymeric structure of these products, which is different from other cellulosics, improves cohesion, texture and mouthfeel. They are unique hydrocolloids because they reversibly gel at elevated temperatures. Benecel MC and HPMC perform many functions in foods, depending on type, grade, use l...
Benecel™ methylcellulose & hydroxypropylmethylcellulose
Benecel™ mc and HPMC perform many functions in processed foods, depending on type, grade, use level and conditions. Among these functions are thermal gelation, film formation, thickening, binding and water retention. The polymeric structure of these products, which is different from other cellulosics, improves cohesion, texture and mouthfeel. Small amounts of Benecel MC and HPMC significantly enhance emulsion stability as well. This is...
Aqualon™ cellulose gum
Aqualon™ cellulose gum, or sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), is widely used as an economical thickener and stabilizer in foods and beverages. Besides modifying the behavior of water, cellulose gum is useful in suspending solids and modifying the flow and texture. Aqualon cellulose gum has the ability to form strong, oil-resistant films. In beverage concentrates (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and powdered drink mixes, cellulose gum adds pl...