Xanthan Gum
Quick Summary
- Category: Food Additives · Sourcing Origin: China · Form: Powder · Standard Pack Size: 25 kg
- Codex INS 415 — JECFA ADI: "not specified" (safe at food-use levels with no numeric upper limit required)
- Highly effective thickener, stabilizer, and suspension agent at very low concentrations (0.1–0.5%)
- Pseudoplastic: thick at rest, flows easily under shear, recovers viscosity rapidly
What Is Xanthan Gum?
Xanthan gum is a microbial polysaccharide produced by fermentation of glucose or sucrose by Xanthomonas campestris bacteria. After fermentation, the gum is precipitated with isopropanol, dried, and milled to powder. Its distinctive rheological property — pseudoplasticity — makes it one of the most versatile hydrocolloids in food manufacturing: solutions thicken at rest but thin under the shear of pumping, pouring, or eating, then recover thickness rapidly.
Specification & Form
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Form | Cream to white fine powder |
| Solubility | Dispersible in hot and cold water |
| Effective concentration | 0.1–0.5% in most applications |
| Regulatory status | Codex INS 415; EU E415; FDA GRAS (21 CFR 172.695) |
| Standard pack size | 25 kg |
| Sourcing origin | China |
Applications
- Salad dressings and sauces (suspension stability, pourable texture)
- Gluten-free baked goods (texturising network replacement)
- Beverages (particle suspension, mouthfeel)
- Dairy and plant-based dairy analogues (stabilisation)
- Personal care / cosmetic formulations (viscosity)
Industries Served
Functional Food/Beverage · Bakery & Confectionery · Dairy & Dairy Alternatives · Sauces & Dressings
Buyer Checklist
- Viscosity grade confirmed (standard vs easy-dispersing grades have different hydration rates)
- Mesh size confirmed (80 vs 200 mesh affects dispersion behaviour)
- COA confirming viscosity, moisture, ash, microbiological limits
- FSSAI-compliant documentation and 25 kg pack confirmed
Common Mistakes
Adding xanthan gum to unstirred liquid. It lumps if not dispersed under agitation — pre-blend with a dry ingredient or add with vigorous mixing.
Assuming xanthan gum equals guar gum. Both thicken, but xanthan's pseudoplastic profile differs from guar's more Newtonian flow — they are not direct substitutes in most formulations.
Frequently Asked Questions
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References
Company Information
- YNP Ingredients, Xanthan Gum product page, ynpingredients.com (China, 25 kg, FSSAI documentation)
Industry Information
- Codex Alimentarius. GSFA — INS 415, Xanthan gum.
- JECFA. *Xanthan gum — Compendium of Food Additive Specifications.* ADI: not specified.
- FDA. 21 CFR 172.695 — Xanthan gum GRAS status (USA).
- CP Kelco. *KELTROL® Xanthan Gum Technical Library.* cpkelco.com