Effective plant protein drink stabilizers comprising colloidal microcrystalline cellulose made from non-dissolving cellulose pulp

A stabilized plant protein based drink composition comprising:

• a plant protein and
• a co-attrited microcrystalline cellulose/carboxymethylcellulose (MCC/CMC) stabilizer comprising:
• a microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) made from a non-dissolving cellulose pulp, the non-dissolving cellulose pulp having a native hemicellulose content that is about 2% to about 10% of the non-dissolving cellulose pulp on a dry weight basis, and the MCC having a non-dissolving cellulose pulp content that is about 15% to 100% of the MCC on a dry weight basis;
• a first carboxymethylcellulose (CMC),
• wherein the MCC and the first CMC are provided in a weight ratio of MCC to CMC that is about 95:5 to about 70:30;
• the MCC and the first CMC are co-attrited;
• and
• the co-attrited MCC/CMC has an initial viscosity of about 250 cps to about 750 cps when dispersed in water at 2.6% solids;
• and
• a second CMC having a high degree of substitution of between 0.9 and 1.5 and a medium viscosity of about 200 cps to about 4000 cps, measured at 2% solids in water at 25° C.;
• wherein the co-attrited MCC/CMC before drying is wet blended with the second CMC.