Highly refined cellulose-based gel
View Patent ↗A method forms a gel from a highly-refined cellulose by: providing a composition of highly refined cellulose fiber as at least about 0.5% weight/weight highly refined cellulose to water; adding at least one buffering agent to the composition to maintain the pH of the composition at a pH below 9.5; bringing the buffered composition to an elevated temperature such as a boil; stirring the buffered composition; and cooling the buffered composition to below 25° C. to form a gel, such as a stable gel.
1. A method of forming a gel comprising from a highly refined cellulose comprising:
providing a composition of highly refined cellulose fiber as at least 0.5% weight/weight highly refined cellulose to water;
adding at least one buffering agent to the composition to maintain the pH of the composition at a pH below 9.5;
bringing the buffered composition to a boil;
stirring the buffered composition before cooling the buffered composition to form a gel; and
cooling the buffered composition to below 25° C. to form a gel.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one buffering agent maintains the pH of the composition between 4.0 and 8.0.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the buffering agent comprises less than 1% by molecular percent of ammonium and less than 1% molecular percent of hydroxide and wherein the highly refined cellulose fiber is present as at least 0.5% weight/weight highly refined cellulose to water with no more than 1% pectin weight/weight highly refined cellulose.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the gel is combined with a liquid to thicken the liquid and wherein the highly refined cellulose fiber is present as at least 0.5% weight/weight highly refined cellulose to water with no more than 1% pectin weight/weight highly refined cellulose.
5. A solid mass formed by the method of claim 1 .
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one buffering agent maintains the pH of the composition between 4.0 and 9.0.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the buffering agent comprises less than 1% by molecular percent of ammonium and less than 1% molecular percent of hydroxide.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein the gel is combined with a liquid to thicken the liquid.
9. The liquid mass formed by the method of claim 8 .
10. The method of claim 6 wherein the gel is combined with a liquid to thicken the liquid.
11. The liquid mass formed by the method of claim 10 .
12. The method of claim 1 wherein ester groups present in pectin from the highly refined cellulose are esterified during boiling, stirring and cooling to a degree of esterification of less than 50%.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the gel is combined with a liquid to thicken the liquid.
14. A solid mass formed by the method of claim 12 .
15. The method of claim 12 wherein the gel is added to an edible liquid composition to form a combination and the combination is chilled to increase viscosity of the combination and wherein highly refined cellulose.
16. The increased viscosity combination formed by the method of claim 15 .
17. The method of claim 1 wherein the gel is added to an edible liquid composition to form a combination and the combination is chilled to increase viscosity of the combination.
18. The increased viscosity combination formed by the method of claim 17 .
19. A method of forming a gel comprising from a highly refined cellulose comprising:
providing a composition of highly refined cellulose fiber as at least 0.5% weight/weight highly refined cellulose to water with no more than 1% pectin weight/eight highly refined cellulose;
adding at least one buffering agent to the composition to maintain the pH of the composition at a pH below 9.5;
bringing the buffered composition to a boil;
stirring the buffered composition; and
cooling the buffered composition to below 25° C. to form a gel.
20. The method of claim 19 wherein stirring the buffered composition is performed before cooling the buffered composition to below 25° C. to form a gel.