XANTHAN GUM

Xanthan gum is a common food additive and industrial ingredient that functions as an effective thickening agent, stabilizer, and emulsifier. It is a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide produced through the fermentation of simple sugars (such as corn, wheat, or soy sugar) by the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris.
Key Characteristics and Properties
Physical Appearance: It is typically a cream-colored, odorless powder that dissolves easily in both hot and cold water.
High Efficiency: Only a very small amount (as little as 0.1%) is needed to significantly increase the viscosity of a liquid.
Stability: Xanthan gum is remarkably stable across a wide range of temperatures and pH levels (from acidic to alkaline), making it highly versatile.
Shear-Thinning Property: Its viscosity decreases under high shear (like shaking or mixing) but thickens again when the shear is removed. This makes it ideal for products like salad dressings, which are thin enough to pour from a bottle but thick enough to cling to the salad once poured.
Nutritional Profile: It is a soluble fiber and is not broken down or digested by the human body, providing no calories or nutrients.
Common Uses
Xanthan gum is widely used across various industries:
Food Products: It improves texture, consistency, and shelf life in items such as salad dressings, sauces, soups, ice cream, and syrups. It is also a key ingredient in gluten-free baking to provide the elasticity and structure that gluten would otherwise offer.
Personal Care Products: It is used to thicken lotions, creams, shampoos, and toothpastes, and helps to suspend solid particles evenly throughout the product.
Pharmaceuticals: It serves as a suspension agent in some liquid medications and is used in sustained-release pills. It can also be used to thicken liquids for individuals with swallowing difficulties (dysphagia).
Industrial Applications: It is used in drilling mud for the petroleum industry, in wallpaper paste, and as a stabilizer in paints and some concrete mixtures.
Safety and Regulation
Xanthan gum (also known as E 415 in Europe) is widely considered safe as a food additive. It was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1968, with an “Acceptable Daily Intake” of “not specified,” indicating a very low level of concern at normal consumption levels. Consuming very large amounts, however, may cause digestive issues such as gas and bloating due to its high fiber content.