What does croscarmellose sodium do in food?

It helps powders and mixes absorb water and break apart or dissolve evenly. It works the same way in tablets, where it helps them fall apart quickly.

Can croscarmellose sodium cause side effects?

At the small amounts used in packaged foods, it is not known to cause side effects. It is mainly a texture and processing aid, not a nutrient.

Is croscarmellose sodium a natural ingredient?

It starts from natural plant cellulose, but it goes through chemical processing to make it absorb water quickly, so it is considered a modified or processed ingredient.

Who should limit croscarmellose sodium?

There is no specific group generally advised to limit it at the levels found in food, since it is used in very small amounts.

Croscarmellose Sodium

croscarmellose sodium

Croscarmellose sodium is a plant-based fibre derivative used to help tablets and some food powders absorb water and break apart quickly. It is used in very small amounts and is mainly known as a pharmaceutical ingredient, though it does appear in a few packaged foods.

Not a declarable allergen

This is not on India’s mandatory declaration list. It may still matter to you, and you can add it to your own avoid list.

What it is

Croscarmellose sodium is made from cellulose, a fibre found in plant cell walls. The cellulose is chemically treated to make it absorb water fast and swell up, then turned into a sodium salt form. It is mostly used in tablets and capsules as a disintegrant, but it can also appear in some powdered or processed foods to help them mix or dissolve.

Nutrition

Croscarmellose sodium is not a source of calories, vitamins or minerals. It is a type of modified fibre, but it is used in such tiny amounts in food that it does not add any meaningful nutrition.

How it can affect health

Can affect: In the very small amounts used in food, croscarmellose sodium is not known to have notable effects on the body. It works by absorbing water, so in large doses it could in theory affect digestion, but this is not something seen at the levels used in packaged foods.

Who should limit it

There is no specific group of people who are generally advised to limit croscarmellose sodium at the levels used in food.

Where it is found

In packaged foods, croscarmellose sodium is occasionally used in powdered mixes, instant foods or some processed products to help ingredients disperse or dissolve evenly. It is far more commonly used in medicines and supplements to help tablets break apart in the body.

Also written as

A different word for the same thing

Ac-Di-Solen
Crosscarmellose Sodiumen

Names in other languages

English: Croscarmellose Sodium
हिन्दी: क्रॉसकार्मेलोज़ सोडियम
मराठी: क्रॉसकार्मेलोज सोडियम
বাংলা: ক্রোসকারমেলোজ সোডিয়াম
தமிழ்: குரோஸ்கார்மெல்லோஸ் சோடியம்
తెలుగు: క్రోస్కార్మెల్లోస్ సోడియం
ಕನ್ನಡ: ಕ್ರೋಸ್ಕಾರ್ಮೆಲೋಸ್ ಸೋಡಿಯಂ

Products on Laddoo that list it

No product on Laddoo lists it under a name we can match yet. That is not a statement about any pack.

Questions people ask

What does croscarmellose sodium do in food?: It helps powders and mixes absorb water and break apart or dissolve evenly. It works the same way in tablets, where it helps them fall apart quickly.
Can croscarmellose sodium cause side effects?: At the small amounts used in packaged foods, it is not known to cause side effects. It is mainly a texture and processing aid, not a nutrient.
Is croscarmellose sodium a natural ingredient?: It starts from natural plant cellulose, but it goes through chemical processing to make it absorb water quickly, so it is considered a modified or processed ingredient.
Who should limit croscarmellose sodium?: There is no specific group generally advised to limit it at the levels found in food, since it is used in very small amounts.

This page is written by AI as general information about the ingredient, not about any pack. It is not medical advice.