Sausage additive comprising cellulose ether and natural gums

1. An edible composition consisting of

(a) natural gum comprising a polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) containing mannose repeating units;

(b) carrageenan;

(c) cellulose ether, and optionally

(d) water,

wherein the weight ratio of carrageenan (b) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) ranges from 0.4:1 to 1.4:1 and the weight ratio of cellulose ether (c) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) is at least 0.02:1, and wherein the cellulose ether (c) is hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, methylcellulose, or a mixture thereof.

2. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of cellulose ether (c) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) ranges from 0.6:1 to 1.1:1.

3. The edible composition of claim 2 , wherein the weight ratio of carrageenan (b) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) ranges from 0.6:1 to 1.2:1, and the weight ratio of cellulose ether (c) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) ranges from 0.5:1 to 1.3:1.

4. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) is a glucomannan, galactomannan, or a mixture thereof.

5. The edible composition of claim 4 , wherein the natural gum (a) is konjac gum, fenugreek gum, guar gum, tara gum, locust bean gum, or mixtures thereof.

6. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrageenan (b) is κ-carrageenan, τ-carrageenan, λ-carrageenan, or a mixture thereof.

7. An edible binder blend consisting of 1 to 99% by weight of the edible composition of claim 1 and 1 to 99% by weight of protein.

8. An edible product comprising 0.05 to less than 100% by weight of the edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of carrageenan (b) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) in the edible product ranges from 0.4:1 to 1.4:1 and the weight ratio of cellulose ether (c) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) in the edible product is from 0.5:1 to 1.3:1 and the edible product further comprises comminuted meat.

9. The edible product of claim 8 comprising from 0.1 to 4% by weight of the edible composition of claim 1 and from 8 to 70% by weight of comminuted meat.

10. The edible product of claim 8 which is sausage.

11. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the natural gum (a) is konjac gum.

12. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of cellulose ether (c) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) ranges from 0.1:1 to 15:1.

13. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of cellulose ether (c) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) ranges from 0.5:1 to 1.3:1.

14. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the weight ratio of carrageenan (b) to polysaccharide hydrocolloid (a1) ranges from 0.7:1 to 1.1:1.

15. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the carrageenan (b) is x-carrageenan.

16. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the natural gum (a) is konjac gum, locust bean gum or a mixture thereof.

17. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has an average degree of substitution DS methyl of from 1.4 to 2.5, a molar degree of substitution MS hydroxypropyl of from 0.1 to 0.4, and a viscosity of from 20 to 100 mPa·s measured as a 2% by weight aqueous solution by a Brookfield LVT viscometer (3# spindle, testing speed 50 rpm) at 25° C.

18. The edible composition of claim 1 , wherein the methylcellulose has an average degree of substitution DS methyl of from 1.4 to 2.2, and a viscosity of from 13,000 to 70,000 mP·s measured as a 2% by weight aqueous solution by a Brookfield LVT viscometer (3# spindle, testing speed 50 rpm) at 25° C.