If you eat cellulose acetate will it dissolve in your stomach?

Question

If you eat an unused cigarette filter, will it dissolve in your stomach or stay in your whole digestive tract forever? I read a research article where the fibers of cellulose acetate didn't disintegrate ever.

Answer 1

It won't dissolve in your stomach, nor will it stay in your digestive system forever. The cellulose acetate will easily be converted to cellulose but cellulose can not be digested by the human digestive system as it lacks the necessary enzymes. Undigestible cellulose (along with other non digestible carbohydrates) represent "fiber" that you've heard of, such as in a "high fiber diet". So, this fiber (cellulose) actually aids somewhat in digestion, but will eventually get eliminated through the digestive system.