Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) Powder

Product Overview

Carboxymethyl Cellulose (CMC) is a high-efficiency, water-soluble hydrocolloid derived from natural cellulose. It serves as a versatile thickener, binder, stabilizer, and rheology modifier across numerous industries. Our CMC powder is engineered to deliver superior performance and process efficiency, making it an indispensable ingredient for formulation engineers in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and personal care sectors who seek reliable texture and stability control.

• High Purity & Clarity: With a purity exceeding 99.5%, our CMC dissolves to form clear, transparent solutions, which is critical for applications like beverages and gels.
• Viscosity Consistency: We employ a strict quality control process to maintain tight batch-to-batch viscosity specifications (typically within a ±5% range), ensuring you get predictable and repeatable results in your production.
• Rapid Hydration: Specially milled and processed for fast, lump-free dispersion in both cold and hot water, significantly reducing mixing time and preventing “fish eyes.”
• Multiple Grades Available: We offer a range of CMC grades, from high-impact thickeners to subtle texture modifiers, allowing you to select the precise rheological properties your formulation requires.

Key Technical Parameters

Our CMC is manufactured to precise specifications to guarantee reliable and consistent performance. The table below lists the typical properties for our standard food grade (Model: FH9). Please contact us for specifications on other grades.

Quality Control & Documentation

Rigorous Testing & Batch-to-Batch Consistency Quality is the core of our manufacturing philosophy. Every production batch of Carboxymethyl Cellulose undergoes a full suite of tests to ensure it strictly conforms to the established specifications. We document key performance indicators, especially viscosity and purity, to provide our clients with the batch-to-batch consistency required for large-scale automated production. This diligence minimizes production fluctuations and ensures your final product quality is maintained.

Available Documentation for Your Compliance Needs We provide a comprehensive documentation package to support your quality assurance, regulatory affairs, and import/export requirements.

• Lot-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA) 
• Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS)
• Allergen Statement
• Non-GMO Statement
• Certifications: ISO 9001:2015, FSSC 22000, Kosher, Halal

Applications & Formulation Guidance

Food & Beverage

• Typical Dosage: 0.1% – 0.5%
• Function: An exceptionally effective stabilizer and thickener. In sauces, dressings, and syrups, it provides target viscosity and cling without masking flavor. For dairy and plant-based beverages, it improves mouthfeel and prevents sedimentation. In frozen desserts like ice cream and sorbet, it inhibits ice crystal growth, resulting in a smoother, creamier texture.

Pharmaceuticals

• Typical Dosage: 0.5% – 2.0% (as a binder); 1.0% – 6.0% (as a disintegrant)
• Function: Widely used as a primary pharmaceutical excipient. In our evaluations, it serves as a robust binder in the wet granulation process for tablets, contributing to ideal tablet hardness and low friability. In liquid oral dosage forms, it is the preferred suspending agent and viscosity modifier.

Personal Care

• Typical Dosage: 0.2% – 1.5%
• Function: The backbone for creating stable, aesthetically pleasing textures. It is the primary thickener in toothpaste formulations, providing body and controlling flow. In lotions, creams, and gels, it increases viscosity and stabilizes emulsions, preventing phase separation.

Formulation Tip: How to Disperse CMC Powder To ensure complete, lump-free hydration, we recommend two primary methods: 1) Before adding to the liquid phase, thoroughly pre-mix the CMC powder with other dry ingredients in your formula (e.g., sugar, starch, flour) at a ratio of at least 1:5 (CMC to other solids). 2) If adding directly to water, slowly add the powder into the vortex created by a vigorously agitated liquid. This high shear helps separate the particles and allows them to hydrate individually.

Stability & Storage

pH, Heat, & Salt Tolerance Our CMC exhibits excellent viscosity and functional stability across a wide pH range (typically 4.0 to 10.0). While viscosity may decrease in highly acidic or alkaline systems, its functionality remains effective. The product is stable under standard heat processing conditions, including pasteurization and UHT (short-time ultra-high temperature), and shows good tolerance to moderate salt concentrations.

Recommended Storage Conditions For optimal performance and shelf life, store in a cool, dry place (below 25°C, <60% RH) in its original, unopened packaging. Keep away from direct sunlight, moisture, and strong odors. The recommended shelf life is 24 months from the date of manufacture.

Safety & Regulatory Information

Carboxymethyl Cellulose, also known as Cellulose Gum or E466, is recognized and approved as a safe multi-purpose food additive by major global regulatory bodies, including the U.S. FDA (21 CFR 182.1745), the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA). It is a water-soluble dietary fiber that is not absorbed by the human body. This product is for B2B manufacturing use only and not for direct consumption.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What are the main grades of your CMC?

We offer multiple grades, primarily distinguished by viscosity and degree of substitution. Our most common grades range from low viscosity (approx. 50 cps) for slight mouthfeel improvement to high viscosity (>4000 cps) for significant thickening. Please contact our technical team to discuss your specific application.

2. What is the best way to disperse CMC to avoid clumping?

The most effective method is to pre-mix the CMC powder with other dry ingredients at a ratio of at least 1:5 before adding it to water. Alternatively, add it slowly into the vortex of a highly agitated liquid.

3. Is this CMC product suitable for vegan and gluten-free formulations?

Yes. Our Carboxymethyl Cellulose is derived from plant-based cellulose and contains no animal products or gluten, making it perfectly suitable for vegan, vegetarian, and gluten-free product development.

4. What documents are provided with each shipment?

Every shipment is accompanied by a lot-specific Certificate of Analysis (COA) and the corresponding Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS). Other documents, such as a Certificate of Origin or compliance statements, are available upon request.

5. What is your minimum order quantity (MOQ) and typical lead time?

Our standard MOQ is 25 kg (one bag). Lead times vary by location and order volume, but we typically ship from our warehouse within 2-3 business days of order confirmation. Please request a formal quote for precise details.