Food and Beverages:
HEC is the binder, surfactant, colloidal protective agent, dispersant, emulsifier, dispersion stabilizer. Hydroxyethyl cellulose mainly apply to the coating industry. Hydroxyethylcellulose is more stable than hydroxypropylmethylcellulose for emulsion thickening.
Is it safe?: In an FDA study with rats, there were no significant toxic effects other than growth retardation once HPMC reached levels of 20 to 30% of the rats’ diet. This study noted that growth retardation may be contributed to malnutrition and not the amount of HPMC. In another study, rabbits were injected with 2% HPMC for over a month and there were no observations of toxicity or irritation. Overall, the FDA sees it as a non-toxic and non-irritating inactive ingredient that is safe for human use and consumption.