| Xanthan Gum | I.H.C. Chempharm | Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide that's commonly used as a food additive. The name is derived from the strain of bacteria used during the fermentation process that is used to make it, Xanthomonas campestris. This is the same bacteria responsible for causin...展开 Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide that's commonly used as a food additive. The name is derived from the strain of bacteria used during the fermentation process that is used to make it, Xanthomonas campestris. This is the same bacteria responsible for causing black rot to form on broccoli, cauliflower and other leafy vegetables. The bacteria form a slimy substance which acts as a natural stabilizer or thickener. It was developed when the United States Department of Agriculture ran a number of experiments involving bacteria and various sugars to develop a new thickening agent similar to corn starch or guar gum. Xanthan gum is considered a polysaccharide in scientific circles, because it is a long chain of three different forms of sugar. What's important to know is that all three of these natural sugars are present in corn sugar, a derivative of the more familiar corn syrup. The Xanthomonas campestris bacteria eat a supply of this corn sugar under controlled conditions, and the digestion process converts the individual sugars into a single substance with properties similar to cornstarch. Xanthan gum is used in dairy products and salad dressings as a thickening agent and stabilizer; it prevents ice crystals from forming in ice creams, and also provides a "fat feel" in low or no-fat dairy products. 收起 |
