Cellulose is the most common polysaccharides and the major component of plant cell walls. It is the most abundant polysaccharide on the planet, accounting for almost half of all the carbon in the biosphere.
Cellulose is a polymer of glucose molecules linked together by 1 to 4 linkages and cannot be digested by humans.
The strength is essential for cellulose to function as plant skeleton.
Cellulose fibers are cross linked by other polysaccharides, this reinforcing the strength of the fibers, e.g. lignin in wood.
Thus cellulose is a major component of dietary fiber. Pectin is a polymer of galacturonic acid and is not digested. In plant, pectin “cement” cells together. Cellulose relatively resistant to breakdown.
Cellulose is insoluble in water and very resistant to digestive enzymes. Complex carbohydrates that cannot be digested are generally called fiber.
Some forms of fiber may aid in reduction of serum cholesterol. These types of fiber appear to bind the cholesterol and make it less available for absorption.
Fiber provides bulk to the food eaten so that the muscles in the intestinal wall can better push the content along. It aid the movements of food by their capacity to absorb water and help to maintain muscle tone.
Cellulose from plants and from waste paper can be enzymatically converted to glucose, supplemented with nitrogen and used for the growth of yeast and other microorganisms as an animal feed supplement for as a source of protein for humans.
Cellulose
