A polysaccharide used as a food additive and rheology modifier. It is produced by a biotechnological process involving fermentation of glucose or sucrose by the Xanthomonas campestris bacteria. It was discovered by an extensive research effort by the United States Department of Agriculture, which involved the screeening of a large number of biopolymers for their potential uses.

One of the most remarkable properties of xanthan gum is its capability of producing a large increase in the viscosity of a liquid by adding a very small quantity of gum of the order of one percent. Unlike other gums it is very stable under a wide range of temperatures and pH, and is accepted as a safe food additive in USA and Europe.

Xanthan gum, along with guar gum, is sometimes used as a substitute for gluten in baked goods. In the oil industry xanthan gum is used in large quantities. It is used to increase the viscosity of the water pumped into wells for purposes of secondary recovery of oil.

External links

• Questions and Answers—Xanthan Gum