How Is Xanthan Gum Used In Food Products?
Xanthan gum is a food additive used to thicken, emulsify, and stabilize water-based foods. It is used in many different types of food, including salad dressings, sauces, condiments, ice creams, and other frozen foods. It is also popular in gluten-free baking products. Xanthan gum helps food with oil, like salad dressings, stay mixed; it helps give some foods a smooth texture; and it can help the ingredients in other products bind together.
A polysaccharide gum, or three-chain sugar compound, xanthan gum is created through the fermentation of the bacteria Xanthomonas campestris with glucose and/or sucrose. It is also sometimes called corn sugar. It is very stable at a wide variety of temperatures and pH levels.
Xanthan gum was discovered by Allene Rosalind Jeanes at the United States Department of Agriculture. It was approved for use in foods in 1968, after going through rigorous testing for toxicity. In the United States, Canada, Europe, and many other countries, it is considered to be a safe additive. It is very effective in small quantities and usually makes up only 0.5% to 1% of the total ingredients in any given product.
In salad dressings, sauces, and condiments, xanthan gum helps decrease the separation of oils, keeping the product well mixed while in the jar or bottle. When the container is shaken, the product will thin out, making it easier to pour. This process is called pseudoplasticity. After the product has been poured and is allowed to rest, it again begins to thicken slightly, allowing the sauce or dressing to adhere to the food, such as salad or pasta.
In frozen foods, xanthan gum creates the palatable feel of the food to the mouth. Along with guar gum and locust bean gum, it helps create the smooth texture of ice creams. It is also used to replace the fatty texture of egg yolks in many egg substitutes.
Xanthan gum is often used for those who are allergic to wheat or prefer gluten-free products. It is used as an addition to gluten-free flour. The xanthan gum will help give the dough or batter a sticky consistency that would normally be achieved with gluten.
Many people still question the safety of xanthan gum because it is a food additive. It is considered to be safe because it is a natural carbohydrate that is not absorbed into the body. Some people with food allergies may be sensitive to the product, however, and it can cause headaches, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Other "gums," such as guar gum, carrageenan, and locust bean gum, can be substituted if needed.
Written by Allison Richard
