Description
Usage
Xanthan gum, 1 percent, may cause a significant increase in fluid viscosity.
In foods, xanthan gum is often found in salad dressings and sauces. It helps prevent oil separation by stabilizing the emulsion, although it is not an emulsifier. Helps suspend solids such as spices and helps create the desired texture in many types of ice cream. Toothpaste often contains it as a binder to maintain the consistency of the product. Also helps thicken commercial egg substitutes made from egg whites, replacing the fat and emulsifiers found in yolks. It is also the preferred method of thickening liquids for people with swallowing problems because it does not change the color or taste of foods or drinks during normal use. In gluten-free baking, xanthan gum is used to give dough the stickiness that would otherwise be achieved with gluten. It is used in concentrations of 0.5 percent or less in most foods. It is used in a wide range of food products such as sauces, seasonings, meat and poultry products, baked goods, confectionery, beverages, dairy products and others.
In the oil industry it is used in large quantities to thicken drilling fluid. These fluids carry the solids cut by the drill bit to the surface. Xanthan gum provides excellent "low level" rheology. When circulation stops, solids remain suspended in the drilling fluid. The widespread use of horizontal drilling and the need for good control of cuttings have led to an increase in its use. It is added to concrete poured under water to increase its viscosity and prevent washout.
In cosmetics, it is used to prepare aqueous gels. It is also used in oil-in-water emulsions to improve droplet coalescence. It is in preliminary research for its potential use in tissue engineering to create hydrogels and scaffolds that support three-dimensional tissue formation. In addition, thiolated xanthan gum (see thiomers) has demonstrated potential for drug delivery, as high mucoadhesive and penetration-enhancing properties can be imparted by covalently attaching thiol groups to this polysaccharide.
Shear thinning
The viscosity of xanthan gum solutions decreases at higher shear rates. This is called shear thinning or pseudoplasticity. This means that food subjected to shear as a result of mixing, shaking or chewing will become thinner. Once the shear forces are removed, the food will thicken again. In salad dressing, adding it makes it thick enough when resting in the bottle that the mixture remains fairly smooth, but the shear forces created by shaking and pouring thin it so it can be easily poured. When it comes out of the bottle, the shear forces are removed and it thickens again, so it clings to the lettuce.
Amounts used
The higher the proportion of xanthan gum added to the liquid, the thicker the liquid becomes. An emulsion can be formed using as little as 0.1 percent (by weight). Increasing the amount of gum gives a thicker and more stable emulsion with xanthan gum content up to 1%. A teaspoon of it weighs about 2.5 grams and brings one cup (250 ml) of water to 1-percent concentration.[6][13]
{{{{0}}}}.2-0.8% xanthan gum is typically used to make foam. Larger amounts result in larger bubbles and denser foam. Egg white powder (0.2-2.0 percent) with 0.1-0.4 percent xanthan gum produces bubbles similar to soap bubbles.
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