The present invention provides absorbent materials comprising a hydrogel-forming swellable polymer and a plasticizer, wherein the absorbent material demonstrates an advantageous performance characteristic such as advantageous fluid absorption capacity, fluid absorption rate, and rewetting, wherein the advantageous performance characteristic is within at least about 80% of a similar characteristic exhibited by a crosslinked polyacrylate superabsorbent polymer, or wherein the cumulative performance of the advantageous performance characteristics is comparable or superior to performance exhibited by the crosslinked polyacrylate superabsorbent polymer. The present invention also relates to articles of manufacture comprising such absorbent materials, and methods of manufacture.

The invention relates to antimicrobial and/or antiviral fabric compositions comprising ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium hypophosphite, or a mixture thereof. The ascorbic acid may be covalently attached to at least one cellulosic portion of the fabric composition. The invention also relates to methods for preparing such fabric compositions.

The invention relates to antimicrobial and/or antiviral fabric compositions comprising ascorbic acid, citric acid, sodium hypophosphite, or a mixture thereof. The ascorbic acid may be covalently attached to at least one cellulosic portion of the fabric composition. The invention also relates to methods for preparing such fabric compositions.

A vegetable product obtained from vegetable matter selected from at least one of root, tubers and leaves of a plant having inulin as a reserve carbohydrate, wherein the product includes particles having particle sizes in the range of 0.5 to 10 mm and including inulin and cell walls having pectin, hemi-cellulose and cellulose, wherein the inulin is contained within the cell walls, and the product is obtained by a process including the steps of: a) wounding the vegetable matter, b) treating the vegetable matter with an aqueous solution having an antioxidant and/or a textural support agent and heating the vegetable matter to a temperature of 40 to 90° C. and c) mechanically reducing the size of the vegetable matter and drying the vegetable matter to obtain the product.

A vegetable product obtained from vegetable matter selected from at least one of root, tubers and leaves of a plant having inulin as a reserve carbohydrate, wherein the product includes particles having particle sizes in the range of 0.5 to 10 mm and including inulin and cell walls having pectin, hemi-cellulose and cellulose, wherein the inulin is contained within the cell walls, and the product is obtained by a process including the steps of: a) wounding the vegetable matter, b) treating the vegetable matter with an aqueous solution having an antioxidant and/or a textural support agent and heating the vegetable matter to a temperature of 40 to 90° C. and c) mechanically reducing the size of the vegetable matter and drying the vegetable matter to obtain the product.

The present invention relates to the use of an activatable pectin-containing citrus fiber for preparing products in the food or non-food area. The invention also relates to products containing the activatable pectin-containing citrus fiber.

The present invention relates to the use of an activatable pectin-containing citrus fiber for preparing products in the food or non-food area. The invention also relates to products containing the activatable pectin-containing citrus fiber.

A soft chewable composition containing psyllium. The soft chewable composition can have from about 1% to about 55% psyllium and have a Hardness Parameter of greater than about 300 gf at a water activity of about 0.80 and less than about 10,000 gf at a water activity of about 0.50 as measured by the Texture Profile Analysis Method.

A soft chewable composition containing psyllium. The soft chewable composition can have from about 1% to about 55% psyllium and have a Hardness Parameter of greater than about 300 gf at a water activity of about 0.80 and less than about 10,000 gf at a water activity of about 0.50 as measured by the Texture Profile Analysis Method.

A composition and method of preparing a composition is presented wherein the composition comprises cellulose platelets and the cellulose platelets comprise at least 60% cellulose by dry weight, less than 10% pectin by dry weight and at least 5% hemicellulose by dry weight. The composition can be concentrated to at least 25% by weight solids content by pressing under low pressure, whilst retaining the ability to be re suspended within an aqueous medium. The resulting aqueous medium obtains the desired properties of the composition, such as increased viscosity or increased dispersion of pigment particles, for example, to the same extent as the composition before pressing.