What's this goo?

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[Katinka]

Originally Posted by Kammy

I have smoked cigarettes for 20 some years... and realized yesterday that this cigarette paper has GLUE on them ! AS... I'm trying to get the glue/seeds out of my ear, which seems near impossible. That possibly others have a form of 'glue' that's keeping this debris inside them, too?

So, I just did a little research on cigarette glue and it started getting 'deep' - so, I decided to create a thread to see where it goes...

Smoking? Cigarettes? and? ...hmm....I must admit I've started smoking with 14....actually continuously over 30 years... .not that I'm saying I smoke while sleeping....but..

Just think about it. If us 'smokers' have been inhaling 'glue' over such a long time, IMO we don't need to wonder if this theory could be true?

Kat

[Katinka]

I did a little research on this subject:

IPPA: International Pectin Producers Association

...Pectin for use in food is defined as a polymer containing galacturonic acid units (at least 65%).

There ya go Kam**...remember Polymer?

The acid groups may either be free, combined as a methyl ester, or as sodium, potassium, calcium or ammonium salts, and in some pectins amide groups may also be present.

Pectin in the plant starting material is part of a very complex structure, which gives shape to the soft non-woody parts of the plant. Plant cell wall structure diagram Pectin in this state contains a range of neutral sugar molecules, in a complex non-random structure, containing blocks of homogalacturonic acid (sometimes called "smooth regions"), and blocks containing many neutral sugar molecules (rhamnose, galactose, arabinose, and lesser amounts of other sugars) in a highly branched structure (sometimes referred to as "hairy regions").


So...what do we have here? Polymers...Sugar...Cellulose....Wood...Plants...Ha iry structures....Acid??

Somehow this sounds all quite familiar, doesn't it?

Let's see what else I can find...hmm...

Kat

[Katinka]

Kam&,

Cellulose? Wasn't someone talking about that Morgellons 'fibers' contain cellulose which lead us also to our wood pulp and paper theory?

Just thinkin' here...

Kat

[Katinka]

Plant Wall Cell Structure

When pectin is extracted, much of the hairy regions are destroyed, leaving mainly the smooth galacturonic acid regions, with a few neutral sugar units attached or in the main linear chain.

The nature and placing of these neutral sugars may vary with the source material, and have some influence on the properties of pectins from different origins.

However, the biggest influence on pectin properties is the degree of esterification (DE), which determines, for example, the degree of reactivity with calcium and other cations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esterification

Esterification is the general name for a chemical reaction in which two reactants (typically an alcohol and an acid) form an ester as the reaction product. Esters are common in organic chemistry and biological materials, and often have a characteristic pleasant, fruity odor. This leads to their extensive use in the fragrance and flavor industry.

I've been thinking if pectin reacts with sugar, HFCS and/or promotes bacterial and fungal infections?..this is why us Morgies should avoid sugar?

Remember...sugar feeds fungi? and fungi and bacteria 'feed' on eachother? So...what do we have here....?

But there is more..

Kat

[Katinka]

• Pectin molecules are long, and easily entangle with each other, causing thickening.

Pectin can improve the texture of low sugar drinks.

• If enough sugar is added to reduce the availability of water to dissolve pectin molecules fully, the molecules stick together in smooth regions with ester groups to form a gel network.

Conventional high sugar jams depend on pectin to set, and also require a minimum sugar content.

• Because the acid groups are relatively weak, changes in the acidity (pH) alter the amount of charge on the pectin chains. Pectins which can link together under acid conditions have enough charge at lower acidity (higher pH) to repel each other.

This explains why it needs both sugar and acid to set a jam or jelly.

• The acid groups in pectins can react with calcium ions which have two positive charges, and can link two acid anion groups with negative charges. If enough negative groups occur together, as in low ester pectins, these can link pectin molecules together in a gel network without needing so much sugar.

Low ester pectins are used to make low sugar jams, and many different fruit preparations for use in the food industry.

• Pectin molecules with a negative charge can bind to proteins carrying a positive charge and prevent them coagulating when heated.

Pectins can stop the milk protein in yoghurt from curdling with heat, so heat treated (UHT) long life yoghurt drinks can be made.

What do we have here? ..ok..Gel network..pectin chains...acidity....PH level....negative/positive charging....

Kat

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