Xanthan gum is used to mix salad dressings.
Xanthan gum is a food additive used primarily to thicken, emulsify, and stabilize water-based foods. It helps things like salad dressings mix together, for example. As a general rule, oil will try to move away from other ingredients, particularly water, and the gum helps prevent this from happening. The additive also helps certain foods have a smoother, creamier texture, especially ice cream. Fresh ice cream usually has a very bland, cream-like flavor, but it can be difficult to preserve after deep freezing for a long time; Chewing gum can help preserve much of the softness and can help the ingredients resist becoming brittle or dry. The additive is also effective as a general binding agent and is often a very popular choice for gluten-free foods such as breads, which can fall apart without the stickiness of gluten molecules to hold them together. Most food safety organizations and oversight committees have found the additive to be safe, particularly if used only in small amounts. However, some people are allergic to it and in rare cases some adverse reactions have occurred.
as an emulsifier
Xanthan gum helps give ice cream its smooth texture.
One of the most common uses of chewing gum is as an emulsifier, which basically means that it helps keep liquids from separating and separating. In salad dressings, sauces and condiments, for example, it helps reduce oil separation, keeping the product well mixed in the pot or bottle. As a result, all the ingredients are kept in a kind of suspension and the customer does not need to mix or shake things before use.
As a thickening and softening agent
Gluten-free bread often contains xanthan gum as a supplement to gluten-free flour.
The same qualities that make xanthan gum a good emulsifier also make it a good thickener for both liquids and solids. When something like salad dressing is shaken or shaken, it tends to run off, making it easier to serve. This process is called shear thinning. After pouring the product and letting it sit, the gum helps to thicken slightly again. Among other things, this helps it stick to the food it has been poured into.
In frozen foods, xanthan gum creates a pleasant sensation of the food in the mouth. Along with guar gum and locust bean gum, it helps create the smooth texture of ice cream. It is also used to replace the fatty texture of the yolks in many egg substitutes.
Improve dough cohesion
The additive is also often used as a topping for gluten-free flour and can improve the overall quality of baked goods used with it. Gluten is a molecule most commonly found in wheat and is naturally a strong binding agent – it’s what gives most breads and baked goods their chewy, elastic texture. Skipping gluten, which is almost essential for people who are allergic to wheat or prefer gluten-free products for dietary reasons, can leave many baked goods tasting dry and undercooked. Adding gum to make up for lost gluten can make a world of difference.
how is it done
From a chemical standpoint, chewing gum is a polysaccharide gum, or three-chain sugar compound, and is created by the fermentation of the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris with glucose and, in some cases, sucrose, both natural sugars. It is also sometimes called corn sugar, particularly on ingredient labels. This additive is very stable over a wide range of temperatures and pH levels.
It was discovered by chemist Allene Rosalind Jeanes of the US Department of Agriculture and was first approved for use in food in 1968 after undergoing rigorous toxicity testing. In the United States, Canada, Europe, and many other countries, it is considered safe for human consumption and is allowed as an “approved” additive in a variety of different foods. It is very effective in small amounts, typically making up only 0.5% to 1% of the total ingredients in any product.
security concerns
Xanthan gum is a natural carbohydrate that is not absorbed by the body, so it often causes less controversy than other chemical-based food additives. Many people still want to avoid this and other additives as a way to go back to natural foods or seek more nature-based alternatives. Some people with a food allergy may also be sensitive to the product and, in rare cases, it can be linked to headaches, stomach pain, and diarrhea. Other “gums” such as guar gum, carrageenan, and locust bean gum can be substituted, though they usually come with their own pros and cons.