Feb. 6, 2009 - The world leader in food ingredients, Danisco, has formed a strategic partnership with the second largest microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) manufacturer in the world, Mingtai in Taiwan.
The partnership will focus on developing MCC-based solutions to the global food industry, and Danisco introduces a full range of GRINDSTED® MCC types optimised towards the specific food application in question.
’With GRINDSTED® MCC, food manufacturers are being offered an alternative that has been specifically developed to suit the functional demands of the various application areas such as dairy, culinary, bakery or nutrition bars and drinks,’ says Vice President Niels Thestrup from Danisco’s Gums & Systems division. ’Entering into the microcrystalline cellulose or cellulose gel area is a natural extension of Danisco’s wide hydrocolloid product range which already counts all the major food hydrocolloids used by the global food industry such as pectin, xanthan gum, carrageenan, alginate, cellulose gum, locust bean and guar gum,’ he continues.
Chief Operating Officer of Mingtai, Peter Chen, says that ’forming a partnership with Danisco allows us to expand more rapidly into the food industry by utilising Danisco’s extensive food application knowledge and global sales network. The partnership also allows us to consolidate our top two position in the MCC industry and will help us expand our production capacity as well as continue to optimise costs.’
The Danisco-Mingtai partnership not only allows Danisco to market GRINDSTED® MCC, but also allows the two parties to develop new products and optimise production technologies and costs.
The world food market for MCC is estimated to be above DKK 500 million.
Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) is derived from specially produced wood pulp. It provides a fat-like mouthfeel and is therefore used to replace fat in a number of emulsified products such as mayonnaise, creamy dressings, processed cheese and desserts. MCC is also one of the best hydrocolloids for the suspension of particles and is used in, for instance, chocolate milk and nutritional drinks.