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Scientists Unlock New Uses for Cellulose!

If you're vegetarian or vegan, I'd be willing to bet you've heard your share of jokes about eating "rabbit food" or twigs. Well, with just a hint of stubborn reluctance, I admit that now there actually might be some truth to that.

All plants contain cellulose, the most ubiquitous source of fiber on earth. Unfortunately it passes through humans undigested, so we can't make use of parts of the plant such as corn husks and yes...wood chips.

The chemical make up of cellulose verses that of starch is nearly identical. Now scientists have figured how to break those chemical bonds up and rearranging them, creating an edible starch. You might be thinking, "Great...but does this new chemical break through taste like mulch?" No worries, the final product, amylose, has no taste initially and only a hint of sweetness in the after taste. I have to concede that all those jokers may have intuited this break through all along.

For more information visit: www.insidescience.org

--Brie Sullivan