Xanthan Gum and its substitute

What is Xanthan Gum

As a high viscosity water-soluble polymer, xanthan gum is a multifunctional food additive with many excellent physicochemical properties. Xanthan gum used as a common food additive such as thickeners, suspension agent, emulsifier and stabilizer in food industry with E number E 415.

Its rheological properties make the juice have good perfusion and give the beverage refreshing characteristic. E415 food additive can be completely dissolved under low pH value, and the low concentration solution can effectively keep the flavor, concentration, taste and organization of the suspended pulp products stability for a long time.

Xanthan gum E415 can improve the taste of fruit and chocolate drinks. Low concentrations xanthan gum solution can play a stabilizing role in low pH value as well as can be compatible with a variety of other ingredients (including ethanol) in beverages. At the same time, its stable effect is better than other gums. It has strong thermal stability, therefore general high temperature sterilization has no effect on it. Also, this food additive can be used for a variety of cold drinks, juice drinks, pulp beverages, instant solid drinks, etc., the dosage is 0.1%~0.4%. However, is xanthan gum the only option?





Guar Gum: a Replacement for Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum usually derived from a variety of sources such as corn, wheat, or soy. People with an allergy to one of the above, need to avoid foods with xanthan gum, or to ascertain the source. Guar gum can be used to substitute for gluten in baking to render the dough springy and light. Due to its ability to attract water and thicken and bind gluten-free ingredients.

Guar gum is made from the ground endosperm of the guar bean. Once the seeds are dehusked and ground, they are sieved to obtain the guar gum, which is a whitish powder. Guar gum is also a hydrocolloid and is a polysaccharide composed of sugars called mannose and galactose.

The food industry is the largest market for guar gum. In the U.S., differing percentages are set for its allowable concentration in various food applications. Guar gum has EU food additive code E412 in Europe.

Guar gum has about eight times the thickening ability of cornstarch, so it can be used to alternative to flour to thicken sauces. It has similar properties to xanthan gum, as it can also be used as an emulsifier to help oil and vinegar combine, and as a stabilizer to prevent particles from settling in a liquid.

Besides food industry, guar gum also used in textile, paper, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries. The substitute ingredients can be Agar Agar, Gelatin, etc. OKCHEM will introduce these substitutes later!

Related article:

What is E405 Food Additive?

Source:www.okchem.com