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DESCRIPTION:
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is also known as hypromellose or by the code E464, because it is considered a food additive.
In food, this cellulose derivative is found in prepared dishes as a texturing agent.
The most common use of hypromellose, however, is in the manufacture of capsules used in the composition offood supplements.
CAS Number 9004-65-3
EC Number 618-389-6
E number E464
SYNONYMS OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC):
HYDROXYPROPYL)METHYLCELLULOSE,2-HYDROXYPROPYL METHYL CELLULOSE,CELLULOSE HYDROXYPROPYL METHYL ETHER,CELLULOSE, 2-HYDROXYPROPYL METHYL ETHER,Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose,Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose,METHYL HYDROXYPROPYL CELLULOSE,METHYLCELLULOSE, PROPYLENE GLYCOL ETHER OF,PROPYLENE GLYCOL ETHER OF METHYLCELLULOSE
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is a water-soluble polymer derived from cellulose.
This polysaccharide forms colloids when dissolved in water.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is a hydrocolloid produced artificially from natural substances.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) consists of 28-30% methoxyl content and 7-12% of hydroxypropoxyl content.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is in fact a product derived from cellulose that is entirely plant-based, making it suitable for the manufacture of food supplements labelled Vegan, which can thus be consumed as part of a vegan or vegetarian diet.
Hypromellose is also today the only plant-based coating that can benefit from Organic certification.
The food additive called Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has the code E464.
It is a synthetic chemical component belonging to the cellulose family.
Cellulose is a polysaccharide, contained in the membrane of plant cells.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose comes in the form of a fine granular powder of white or slightly yellowish, grayish color, without taste or odor. Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose has the particularity of thickening liquids and forming a jelly when heated.
Due to this particularity, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is a food additive used mainly as a texturing agent to improve the consistency and presentation of the foodstuffs in which it is found.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is also used as a thickener, emulsifier, bulking agent, foaming agent or coating agent.
Of plant origin, it can also serve as an alternative to animal gelatin.
Applications of Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC):
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) has been used as a viscosity modifier in the preparation of printable ink
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) has been used as a viscosifier in the preparation of hydroxyapatite (HAP) suspension
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) has been used in the preparation of HPMC gels and composite gels
FEATURES AND BENEFITS OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC)
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) Dissolves in water,
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) undergoes reversible gelation upon heating, non-ionic,
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) does not complex with ionic species and is surface active and enzyme resistant.
Solutions are pseudoplastic.
USES OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC):
E464 is used in the composition of many commercial food products.
E464 is also used by the cosmetics industry, particularly in shaving foams and pharmaceutical products, for the manufacture of tablets and ophthalmic solutions.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is also found in various products such as paints, coatings and detergents.
MAIN FUNCTIONS:
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is mainly used as a texturizing agent.
More precisely, it is added as:
Thickener:
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is used to reduce the liquid character of the product and increase their viscosity, as is the case in soups;
Emulsifier:
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) helps to obtain a stable and homogeneous emulsion. For example, it helps to make ice creams creamier.
WHERE IS HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC) FOUND?
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is used in the manufacture of:
of bakery products such as industrial breads, sandwich bread, brioche and in particular in gluten-free products,
puff pastry or shortcrust pastry;
of processed potato products and more generally in prepared meals;
in ice creams or ice creams;
in candy or other confectionery.
WHAT DOES HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC) MEAN?
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), also known as hypromellose, is an organic compound that is often found in the composition of the capsules of our food supplements.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is generally used in the food industry for its thickening and emulsifying action, and as a suspending agent.
In nutraceuticals, Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is used as an alternative to animal-based gelatin capsules.
The use of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) allows a product to be certified as vegetarian or even vegan.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose is also classified as a food additive and is known under the code E464, an orange category.
HOW ARE HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC) CAPSULES MADE?
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is considered a semi-synthetic compound.
This means that Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) has as its main ingredient a natural product, cellulose, that has undergone chemical intervention.
The plant cellulose used generally comes from pine or rice.
The modification of cellulose involves chemical solvents such as chloromethane or propylene oxide.
The raw materials for the formation of cellulose are natural and, in itself, Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is not a chemical product.
However, the process of transforming cellulose into a stable and effective compound in its role as an envelope involves the use of chemicals, making the final product, hydroxypropylmethylcellulose, synthetic.
If hydroxypropylmethylcellulose is now criticized on the internet and in health magazines, it is not because its consumption is bad for your health.
What is criticized is its unnatural production method involving chemical compounds. Hydroxypropylmethylcellulose is indeed a synthetic finished product, but animal and plant alternatives to the HPMC capsule also have their share of drawbacks.
When it comes to capsules, there is no real miracle solution!
Hypromellose (INN), short for hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), is a semisynthetic, inert, viscoelastic polymer used in eye drops, as well as an excipient and controlled-delivery component in oral medicaments, found in a variety of commercial products.
As a food additive, Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is an emulsifier, thickening and suspending agent, and an alternative to animal gelatin.[3]
Its Codex Alimentarius code (E number) is E464.
CHEMISTRY OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC)
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is a solid, and is a slightly off-white to beige powder in appearance and may be formed into granules.
The compound forms colloids when dissolved in water.
This non-toxic ingredient is combustible and can react vigorously with oxidizing agents.
Hypromellose in an aqueous solution, like methylcellulose, exhibits a thermal gelation property.
That is, when the solution heats up to a critical temperature, the solution congeals into a non-flowable but semi-flexible mass.
Typically, this critical (congealing) temperature is inversely related to both the solution concentration of HPMC and the concentration of the methoxy group within the HPMC molecule (which in turn depends on both the degree of substitution of the methoxy group and the molar substitution).
That is, the higher the concentration of the methoxy group, the lower the critical temperature.
The inflexibility/viscosity of the resulting mass, however, is directly related to the concentration of the methoxy group (the higher the concentration is, the more viscous or less flexible the resulting mass is)
Uses:
There are many fields of application for Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), including:[5]
• Tile adhesives
• Cement renders
• Gypsum products
• Pharmaceutical
• Paints and coatings
• Food
• Cosmetics
• Detergents and cleaners
• Eye drops
• Contact lenses
• Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC)[6]
USE IN WHOLE GRAIN BREADS
Agricultural Research Service scientists are investigating using the plant-derived Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) as a substitute for gluten in making all-oat and other grain breads.
Gluten, which is present in wheat, rye, and barley, is absent (or present only in trace quantities) in oat and other grains.
Like gluten, HPMC can trap air bubbles formed by the yeast in bread dough, causing the bread to rise.
USE IN CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS:
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is used primarily in construction materials like tile adhesives and renders[7] where it is used as a rheology modifier and water retention agent.
Functionally HPMC is very similar to HEMC (hydroxy ethyl methyl cellulose) Trade names include Methocel and Walocel.
The global leading producer is now DuPont, formerly manufactured under Dow Wolff Cellulosics GmbH.[8]
OPHTHALMIC APPLICATIONS
Hypromellose solutions were patented as a semisynthetic substitute for tear-film.[9]
Its molecular structure is predicated upon a base celluloid compound that is highly water-soluble.
Post-application, celluloid attributes of good water solubility reportedly aid in visual clarity.
When applied, a hypromellose solution acts to swell and absorb water, thereby expanding the thickness of the tear-film.
Hypromellose augmentation therefore results in extended lubricant time presence on the cornea, which theoretically results in decreased eye irritation, especially in dry climates, home, or work environments.
On a molecular level, this polymer contains beta-linked D-glucose units that remain metabolically intact for days to weeks.
On a manufacturing note, since hypromellose is a vegetarian substitute for gelatin, it is slightly more expensive to produce due to semisynthetic manufacturing processes.
Aside from its widespread commercial and retail availability over the counter in a variety of products, hypromellose 2% solution has been documented to be used during surgery to aid in corneal protection and during orbital surgery.
EXCIPIENT/TABLETING INGREDIENT
In addition to its use in ophthalmic liquids, hypromellose has been used as an excipient in oral tablet and capsule formulations, where, depending on the grade, it functions as controlled release agent to delay the release of a medicinal compound into the digestive tract.
Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) is also used as a binder[12] and as a component of tablet coatings.
TEST METHODS
Various benchmark tests are used to qualify hypromellose:
• Viscosity
• Degree of substitution (DS)
• Molar substitution (MS)
• Salt content
• Moisture
VISCOSITY TEST METHODS:
Because hypromellose solution is a non-newtonian solution and exhibits pseudoplastic, more specifically, thixotropic behavior, various test methods are available, and the results of different methods and viscosimeters do not necessarily correspond to each other.
Also, due to viscometer acceptable ranges of error, viscosity is typically given as a mean, or as a range.
Typical viscosity test will specify the following:
Solution concentration (1%, 2%, 1.9% bone dry, etc.)
Viscometer (RheoSense m-VROC and microVISC, Brookfield LV or RV, Höppler falling ball, Haake Rotovisco, etc.)
Viscometer spindle number (1 ~ 4 for Brookfield LV, 1 ~ 7 for Brookfield RV, etc.)
Solution Temperature (20 °C, 25 °C, etc.)
DEGREE OF SUBSTITUTION:
Degree of substitution is the average level of methoxy substitution on the cellulose chain.
Since there are maximum three possible sites of substitution with each cellulose molecule, this average value is a real number between 0 and 3.
However, degree of substitution is often expressed in percentages.
MOLAR SUBSTITUTION
Molar substitution is the average level of hydroxypropoxy substitution on the cellulose chain.
Since hydroxypropoxy base can be attached to each other on side chains and does not each require a base substitution site on the cellulose molecule, this number can be higher than 3.
However, molar substitution is also often expressed in percentages.
Moisture:
Since all cellulose ethers are hygroscopic, they will absorb moisture from surroundings if left exposed from original packaging.
Thus, moisture must be tested and weight corrected to ensure adequate amount of dry active material are apportioned for usage.
Moisture is tested by weighing a sample of X grams on an analytic scale, and drying the sample in an oven at 105 °C for 2 hours, then weighing the sample again on the same scale.
PROPERTIES OF HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC):
biological source
plant
Quality Level
200
form
powder
mol wt
~86 kDa
color
white to off-white
viscosity
2,600-5,600 cP, 2 % in H2O(20 °C)(lit.)
solubility
water: 10 mg/mL, clear to very slightly hazy, colorless
storage temp.
room temp
SAFETY INFORMATION ABOUT HYDROXYPROPYL METHYLCELLULOSE (HPMC):
First aid measures:
Description of first aid measures:
General advice:
Consult a physician.
Show this safety data sheet to the doctor in attendance.
Move out of dangerous area:
If inhaled:
If breathed in, move person into fresh air.
If not breathing, give artificial respiration.
Consult a physician.
In case of skin contact:
Take off contaminated clothing and shoes immediately.
Wash off with soap and plenty of water.
Consult a physician.
In case of eye contact:
Rinse thoroughly with plenty of water for at least 15 minutes and consult a physician.
Continue rinsing eyes during transport to hospital.
If swallowed:
Do NOT induce vomiting.
Never give anything by mouth to an unconscious person.
Rinse mouth with water.
Consult a physician.
Firefighting measures:
Extinguishing media:
Suitable extinguishing media:
Use water spray, alcohol-resistant foam, dry chemical or carbon dioxide.
Special hazards arising from the substance or mixture
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas
Advice for firefighters:
Wear self-contained breathing apparatus for firefighting if necessary.
Accidental release measures:
Personal precautions, protective equipment and emergency procedures
Use personal protective equipment.
Avoid breathing vapours, mist or gas.
Evacuate personnel to safe areas.
Environmental precautions:
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Methods and materials for containment and cleaning up:
Soak up with inert absorbent material and dispose of as hazardous waste.
Keep in suitable, closed containers for disposal.
Handling and storage:
Precautions for safe handling:
Avoid inhalation of vapour or mist.
Conditions for safe storage, including any incompatibilities:
Keep container tightly closed in a dry and well-ventilated place.
Containers which are opened must be carefully resealed and kept upright to prevent leakage.
Storage class (TRGS 510): 8A: Combustible, corrosive hazardous materials
Exposure controls/personal protection:
Control parameters:
Components with workplace control parameters
Contains no substances with occupational exposure limit values.
Exposure controls:
Appropriate engineering controls:
Handle in accordance with good industrial hygiene and safety practice.
Wash hands before breaks and at the end of workday.
Personal protective equipment:
Eye/face protection:
Tightly fitting safety goggles.
Faceshield (8-inch minimum).
Use equipment for eye protection tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or EN 166(EU).
Skin protection:
Handle with gloves.
Gloves must be inspected prior to use.
Use proper glove
removal technique (without touching glove's outer surface) to avoid skin contact with this product.
Dispose of contaminated gloves after use in accordance with applicable laws and good laboratory practices.
Wash and dry hands.
Full contact:
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
Splash contact
Material: Nitrile rubber
Minimum layer thickness: 0.11 mm
Break through time: 480 min
Material tested:Dermatril (KCL 740 / Aldrich Z677272, Size M)
It should not be construed as offering an approval for any specific use scenario.
Body Protection:
Complete suit protecting against chemicals, The type of protective equipment must be selected according to the concentration and amount of the dangerous substance at the specific workplace.
Respiratory protection:
Where risk assessment shows air-purifying respirators are appropriate use a fullface respirator with multi-purpose combination (US) or type ABEK (EN 14387) respirator cartridges as a backup to engineering controls.
If the respirator is the sole means of protection, use a full-face supplied air respirator.
Use respirators and components tested and approved under appropriate government standards such as NIOSH (US) or CEN (EU).
Control of environmental exposure
Prevent further leakage or spillage if safe to do so.
Do not let product enter drains.
Discharge into the environment must be avoided.
Stability and reactivity:
Chemical stability:
Stable under recommended storage conditions.
Incompatible materials:
Strong oxidizing agents:
Hazardous decomposition products:
Hazardous decomposition products formed under fire conditions.
Carbon oxides, Nitrogen oxides (NOx), Hydrogen chloride gas.
Disposal considerations:
Waste treatment methods:
Product:
Offer surplus and non-recyclable solutions to a licensed disposal company.
Contact a licensed professional waste disposal service to dispose of this material.
Contaminated packaging:
Dispose of as unused product.
