Brief overview of Xanthan Gum

1. Everything in this
universe needs a glue
to come together

2. Xanthan Gum
By Srisha.S.Belur

3. Introduction
• Xanthan gum is a natural extra cellular
polysaccharide which is produced by the fermentation
of glucose/sucrose by Xanthomonas campestris
• It is soluble in cold water & exhibits high
pseudoplastic flow.
• Polysaccaride is resistant to enzymatic digestion .
• Its viscosity is highly stable over a wide pH and
temperature.
• Its Molecular formula is C 35 H 44 O29.

4. History
• Xanthan gum was first discovered by Allene Rosalind Jeanes in
1950s at Northern Regional Center & became commercial in
1964.
• It was discovered by Allene Rosalind & her research team
where a lot of bio-polymers were screened nfor their
potential uses.

5. Xanthomonas campestris
• This is is bacterial species that causes a variety of plant
diseases.
• These bacteria are commonly found on the leaves of
brassica vegetables such as cabbage.
• Xanthomonas capestris is the same bacterial species which
causes black rot formation on broccoli, cauliflower,
cabbage and other leafy vegetables
• This bacterium produces polysaccharide at its cell wall
surface during its normal life cycle by a complex enzymatic
processes.
• It is used in the commercial production of a high-
molecular-weight polysaccharide - xanthan gum - that is an
efficient viscosifier of water and that has many important
uses, especially in the food industry.

6. Xanthomonas campestris
Leaf spot of English ivy caused by Xanthomonas
campestris.

7. Xanthomonas campestris
• Electron microscope
view of Xanthomonas
campestris
Streak of Xanthomonas
strain.

8. Manufacture.
• Xanthomonas campestris is produced from a
pure culture of bacterium by an aerobic
submerged in fermentation process.
• The steps of manufacture of Xanthomonas
campestris is as follows
A well aerated medium containing nitrogen
source, glucose and various trace elements is
chosen. Some times in some industries Corn
syrup is chosen as the medium

9. Manufacture
 the medium must contain good amount of
nutrition required by the bacteria.
The medium is inoculated with Xanthomonas
campestris.
Now the inoculated medium is transferred to an
agitator. This is where the bacteria is incubated.
In this sugary environment the bacterium
replicates rapidly and forms around trillion
identical cells in 48 hours/

10. Manufacture
 After few days the bacteria have used all the
carbohydrates present in the medium/broth and
produces a polysaccharide. This polysaccharide is
called xanthan gum
 When the final fermentation process is finished the
broth is pasteurized to kill all the bacteria present in
the broth & xanthan gum is recovered by
precipitation with isopropyl alcohol. The recovered
xanthan gum is then hydrated to remove water and
is dried, milled and finally packed.
 The xanthan gum is now ready to be sold for
commercial uses.

11. Applications
• Xanthan gum has numerous uses it is used from the
tooth paste to hard rock oil drilling
• Xanthan gum is a food additive used to thicken,
emulsify & stabilize water-based foods. It is used in
many different types of food, including salad dressings,
sauces, condiments, ice creams, and other frozen
foods.
• Many gluten-free baking products also contain it. This
additive 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

12. Application
• In Batters
In wet prepared batters, xanthan gum
reduces floor sedimentation, improves gas
retention, imparts enzymes, provides uniform
coatings and acts as a good cling.
It provides adhesion & controls moisture
migration during frying.
It coats onion rings & eliminates inconsistent
waxy coatings

13. Application
• In Baked goods
 Baked goods have increased volumes & moisture,
higher crumb strength, greater resistance to shipping
damage.
 Xanthan gum blends well with cake ingredients,
hydrates rapidly & evenly to aid in preventing
lumping during initial stages of mixing the cakes.
 Adding xanthan gum to either hot/cold processed
bakery & fruit pie fillings improves texture &flavour
release.

14. Application
• In Frozen food
Stability, control & consistent viscosity during
heating are achieved by adding xanthan gum
to many different frozen products such as
whipped toppings, sauces, gravities and
batters

15. Applications
• Dressings
The largest application of xanthan gum is seen
here.
It stabilizes acids and alkali
Its effectiveness at low concentration make it an
excellent stabilizer for oil dressings
Dressing with Xanthan gum gives products a long
term stability & constant viscosity over a wide
range of temperature.
The xanthan gum clings well to salads

16. Applications
• In hard rock drilling xanthan gum lubricates and
suspends rugged material found underground
which gives a uniformity in drilling zones which
prevent blow outs.
• Xanthan gum is also used to bind tobacco solids
together so that they can be formed into a strop
that is used to cut normal tobacco leaves.
• It is mainly used as a food additive, thickening
agent and a stabilizer. It also prevents ingredients
from separating

17. Xanthan Gum

18. Xanthan gum in other products
Xanthan gum in tooth past
Xanthan gum in Vinaigrette