Abstract:
A composition of matter comprising dry, water-dispersible, particles of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) coprocessed with a glucomannan. The particles are visually spheroidal, have an average size of about 0. 1 to 100 microns, and about 60 to 99 wt % of the total solids of the coated particles comprises MCC. The invention also comprises a process for the manufacture of the inventive composition 1 comprising forming an intimate mixture consisting essentially of MCC and glucomannan in an aqueous medium under controlled agitation, drying the resulting flocculate, and recovering visually spheroidal water dispersible particles. The inventive compositions are useful as bulking agents and fat substitutes, and may have a lipophilic and/or hydrophilic material absorbed thereon.