Xanthan Gum: A Popular Food Additive

What Is Xanthan Gum?

Xanthan gum is a popular additive used in food processing as a thickener or stabilizer.

Xanthan gum is a water-attracting substance. So, when it’s added to a product that contains water (either hot or cold), xanthan gum binds to the water molecules and swells, forming a thick and viscous mixture. This property of xanthan gum helps it thicken familiar foods.

The United States Department of Agriculture discovered xanthan gum in the 1950s, and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved it as a safe food additive in 1969.

How Is Xanthan Gum Made?

Food additve xanthan gum is a type of complex carbohydrate called a polysaccharide. It’s made from a type of bacteria, Xanthomonas campestris, through the same process responsible for foods like wine, cheese, yogurt and pickles—fermentation.

Through a tightly-controlled, large-scale process, this specific type of bacteria is grown and “eats” the sugars it’s fed, resulting in xanthan gum. The sources for those sugars might include corn, wheat, rice or sugar.

Raw xanthan gum is a gooey substance, so it’s solidified, dried and then purified into the finished ingredient that can be used in foods.

Foods That Include Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum, while not naturally found in foods, is added to products when thickening, emulsifying (the process of combining two or more ingredients that don’t normally mix) or when texture modification is needed. It’s great at combining ingredients together and preventing them from separating.

It can even improve flavor release in foods or drinks. Food that contains xanthan gum includes canned soups, gravies and sauces, salad dressing, bakery goods, syrups and many gluten-free products.