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Xanthan gum is produced from fermentation medium containing sugars (such as glucose, sucrose, starch, hydrolyzed starch, etc.) in the presence of a suitable nitrogen source, dipotassium hydrogen phosphate and appropriate trace elements. Strains function, fermentation, and then after extraction, drying, crushing and other procedures.

Xanthan gum is tasteless, odorless, non-toxic, safe to eat, and easily soluble in water. It presents polyanions in aqueous solution and has unique physical and chemical properties. In industrial production, it is mainly used as a thickener, but also as a suspending agent, emulsifier, and stabilizer. So far, xanthan gum is considered to be the most superior biological glue in the world. It is widely used in food, fruit juice, beverage, feed, cosmetics, medicine, ceramics, fire protection, petroleum and other industries. Its market growth potential exceeds all Hydrophilic glue. This article reviews the structure, properties and production of xanthan gum, and describes the application of xanthan gum in the food industry.



Application of Xanthan Gum in Food

Xanthan gum is known as "industrial monosodium glutamate" and is currently the worlds largest production and most widely used microbial polysaccharide. It mainly has the following properties.



(1) Xanthan gum is tasteless, odorless, has strong application safety, and has high viscosity. The viscosity of 1% aqueous solution is equivalent to 100 times that of gelatin, so it can be used as a good thickening and stabilizer.



(3) Unique rheology. Under shearing action, the viscosity of the solution will drop rapidly. Once the shearing action is relieved, the viscosity of the solution will immediately recover. This characteristic gives foods such as ice cream, ham, fruit juice and vegetable protein. Beverages and baked goods have a good taste. This characteristic also makes xanthan gum widely used in oil drilling and exploitation.



(4) Good thermal stability, maintaining unique functions in a wide temperature range (-18-130°C). It is a good auxiliary material for the production of frozen foods and baked foods.



(5) Acid-base stability, its viscosity is basically not affected by acid-base, and the original characteristics can be maintained within the range of PH value of 1-12, so that it has a wide range of applications.



(6) It has strong anti-oxidation and anti-enzymatic effects, and can still play a role even in the presence of sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and biologically active enzymes.



(7) It has wide compatibility. The mixture with guar gum and locust bean gum can produce beneficial synergistic effects. This kind of structural glue can produce gel effect under certain conditions.



(8) When coexisting with high-concentration salts and sugars, it still maintains a stable thickening system.



(9) It has good suspension for insoluble solid particles and oil droplets.



(10) Microwave stability. The stable system that has been formed will not affect its performance even if it is frozen or thawed in a microwave oven.



(11) Good compatibility with salts, acids and bases, and good reactivity with galacto-mannan.



Xanthan gum has been accepted by many countries as a food additive. It has become an important stabilizer, suspending agent, emulsifier, thickener, binder and processing raw material with high added value and high quality in the fields of beverages, cakes, jelly, canned food, seafood and meat products processing. It can be summarized as the following aspects.



The stabilizing effect of xanthan gum is significantly better than other gums, and it has strong thermal stability. General high-temperature sterilization will not affect it. It can be used in various fruit juice drinks, pulp drinks, vegetable protein drinks, etc., with a dosage of 0.08-0.3 . Xanthan gums excellent salt resistance, acid and alkali resistance can completely replace the traditional thickener starch in soy sauce. It can overcome the shortcomings of starch precipitation, and can make soy sauce fine and uniform, improve wall-hanging and coloring properties, and extend shelf life . For jam, bean paste and other flavored sauces, xanthan gum is used as a thickening stabilizer to make the sauce uniform, good spreadability, no agglomeration, easy to fill, and improve the taste.



Xanthan gum is used as an emulsifier in various protein beverages and milk beverages to prevent oily water layer and improve protein stability, prevent protein precipitation, and can also use its emulsifying ability as a foaming agent and foam stabilizer, such as Beer manufacturing, etc. After adding 0.02% xanthan gum to the emulsification system based on legume protein, the emulsification is obviously improved, and the mixed system has a high shear rate and heat-induced high viscosity characteristics.

Xanthan gum, as a stable high-viscosity filler, can be widely used in the processing of various snacks, breads, biscuits, candies and other foods. Without changing the traditional flavor of the food, the food has superior shape retention. Longer shelf life and better taste are conducive to the diversification and industrial-scale production of these foods. In the production of various frozen foods, xanthan gum has the functions of preventing its loss of water, delaying aging, and extending the shelf life.



Xanthan gum is used as an emulsion stabilizer in frozen foods. In ice cream and ice cream, xanthan gum can adjust the viscosity of the mixture, so that it has a uniform and stable composition, and the tissue is soft and soft. Due to the relationship between the viscosity of xanthan gum and temperature, it is plastic And the shear performance, so the viscosity decreases during the processing operation, and the resistance is reduced, which is beneficial to the process. In the cooling and aging stage, the viscosity is restored, which is beneficial to increase the expansion rate, prevent the formation of large ice crystals in the ice cream tissue, and make the ice cream taste smooth exquisite. At the same time, the freeze-thaw stability of the product is improved, and the cream and water are evenly mixed when melting, and no slurry separation phenomenon occurs. The general aging time is 2～3h. The dosage is 0.2% to 0.4%.

Xanthan gum can cross-link some water-soluble powder substances, such as sodium alginate, casein, methyl cellulose and polyethylene glycol cellulose sodium salt, to make a binder. This adhesive is used in food processing to improve texture and increase film-forming properties. This property of xanthan gum can be used to make granular pastes. Compared with traditional pastes, pastes made of xanthan gum have low scattering properties, high uniformity and solubility, good fluidity and filling performance, and excellent solid storage properties due to non-cohesiveness.

Ideally, the requirements of sweeteners are safe and non-toxic, pure sweetness similar to sucrose, high sweetness, low calorific value or no calorific value; high stability, no caries and reasonable price. But sweeteners that fully meet these requirements do not currently exist. Regular consumption of sweeteners can adversely affect your health. Sodium Saccharin and Abbastian are the most commonly used sweeteners, but experiments in mice have shown that frequent consumption of these two sweeteners can cause cancer. China has strict limits on the use of sweeteners, and should be strictly adhered to when making food.

With the improvement of people’s safety awareness, natural non-nutritive sweeteners are increasingly valued, and it is also the development trend of sweeteners. For example: Stevia sugar is extracted from the leaves of stevia. It belongs to plant extracts and is considered as a green and safe sweetener. The sweetness of stevia is 200-350 times that of sucrose, and the calorie is only 1/300 of that of sucrose. It is not only harmless to the human body, but also can assist in the treatment of hypertension, hyperacidity, arteriosclerosis, diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, and dental caries. And promote the growth of bifidobacteria and lactobacillus that are beneficial to the human body, inhibit the reproduction of harmful bacteria to the human body, and promote the healthy ecology of the intestine. In addition, stevia has good stability, can widely replace sucrose, and is considered to be edible in large quantities.

Synergistic effects may exist among various sweeteners. Compound sweeteners are easy to use, high in sweetness, pure in sweetness, and reduced in production costs. They are also an important development direction for the development and application of sweeteners.

Carmine, amaranth red, temptation red, lemon yellow, sunset yellow, bright blue and β- carotene are commonly used in food processing pigments, most of these pigments have poor color stability, easy to fade shortcomings, it is difficult to meet the requirements of food production. The test proves that the color protector has a certain protective effect on the stability of pigments.



Color protection additives for food coloring

Sodium tripolyphosphate, sodium pyrophosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, sodium citrate, phytic acid, sodium isoascorbate, calcium lactate and other color protectors have a more obvious color protection effect on most common pigments, such as carmine, amaranthine, temptation red, lemon yellow, sunset yellow, bright blue, β- carotene and other pigments.

The color protection effect of calcium lactate was not obvious; sodium isoascorbate had a negative effect on all pigments except β-carotene; EDTA-2Na had a negative effect on sunset yellow.
However, for sweet potato violet pigment, EDTA-2Na had the most significant effect on the color protection of sweet potato violet pigment compared with other color protectors, and the color development and stability of EDTA-2Na could be increased when it was synergized with Fe3+ at a mass concentration ratio of 0.5:1.

In addition, the color protection effect of the F-type color preservative was better for four natural pigments, including red currant red, beet red, β-carotene and gardenia yellow, and the optimal addition amount was 0.08%.
For the light stability of pigments by the single color protector, VC had the strongest color protection effect on red currant red and carmine red, and sodium iso-VC had the strongest color protection effect on carmine orange.
For the thermal stability of single colorants, β-carotene was the strongest color protector for red currant and carmine, and VC was the strongest color protector for carmine.

(1) As a sweetener and adjuvant therapeutic agent for people with diabetes Stevioside‘s indigestibility does not cause an increase in blood glucose concentration after ingestion, and it does not promote an increase in insulin concentration in the blood. It is suitable for patients with diabetes. Clinical studies have found that Stevioside can increase insulin, especially for type II diabetes Potential anti-hyperglycemic effect. Does not cause blood sugar levels to rise, eliminates the “three more” symptoms (more food, more drink, more urine) after taking diabetes, is the most suitable sugar substitute for diabetics.

(2) Stevioside has the function of improving gastrointestinal. Stevioside can help digestion and prevent constipation. Stevioside can promote the proliferation of bifidobacteria and lactobacillus in the human body, and can improve human immunity, prevent and treat constipation, and diarrhea.

Bifidobacteria can synthesize nutrients such as folic acid, pantothenic acid, nicotinic acid, and B vitamins required by the human body, promote the absorption of minerals such as calcium and iron by the intestinal mucosa, decompose carcinogens such as nitrite, and significantly reduce the pH of the intestine. Inhibit the production of pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, Clostridium and Salmonella, reduce the production of spoilage products, promote intestinal peristalsis, reduce constipation, and also have a certain adjuvant treatment and prevention of gastrointestinal diseases such as gastritis and hyperacidity effect.

Rosemary itself is a spice, with a special fragrance, which can make people sober. Rosemary extract contains carnosic acid, rosmarinic acid, carnosol and other effective ingredients. It not only has the antioxidant effect of traditional plant extracts, but also prevents oxidative deterioration of oils and oxidative discoloration of food, and is more antiseptic, Antibacterial and other effects.
In addition, rosemary extract is still very stable in a high temperature environment of 240 degrees, so it can be well used in fried and baked foods.


Hop extract-flavoring agent

Hop extract is an indispensable raw material for brewing beer. In beer brewing, hops give the beer a refreshing aroma, slightly bitter taste and antiseptic properties, and form a white, fine and rich foam, and also play a role in clarifying the wort.
In addition, hops also have excellent pharmacological effects. Studies have shown that the polyphenols in hops have obvious antioxidant effects; the chemical components such as lupulone and humulone in hops have inhibitory effects on Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Bacillus subtilis.
In addition to brewing beer, some juices, sodas, kombucha, and even snacks have also begun to add hops to form the flavor of beer.


Onion extract-flavor & preservative

Onion is an important flavor material, not only can provide a unique taste and smell, but also has the effect of stimulating appetite and helping digestion. At the same time, onion extract also has antioxidant and antibacterial properties and can be used as a food preservative.
Experiments have found that the phenolic compounds in onions can inhibit the growth of a variety of bacteria, such as Bacillus cereus, Staphylococcus aureus, Micrococcus luteus, Listeria, etc., especially microorganisms related to food spoilage.
Onions contain prostaglandin A and tolbutamide, which have a certain effect of lowering blood pressure and blood sugar, and can inhibit the increase in blood lipids caused by high-fat diets, and are used as functional food materials.


Guarana extract-anti-fatigue and energy supplement

Guarana is rich in amino acids, alkaloids, a variety of minerals, tannins, vitamins and carbohydrates, which are good for tissue absorption.
Guarana extract is a substance extracted from the seeds of guarana. The plant caffeine contained in it can gradually and slowly stimulate the nerves. The stimulus has a long effective period and is relatively mild. It is not harmful to the human body. Products from other sources are usually The effect is fast, but the duration is short.
Therefore, in the energy drink industry in recent years, guarana extract has gradually replaced chemically synthesized caffeine.


Luo Han Guo Extract-Sweetener

Luo Han Guo extract is light yellow powder to brown extract. The taste is extremely sweet, its sweetness is more than 300 times that of sucrose, and the sweetness is close to that of sugar.
Luo Han Guo, as one of the first batch of rare Chinese medicinal materials announced in China for food and medicine, also has certain health functions such as assisting in lowering blood sugar.
Luo Han Guo has many advantages as a sugar substitute.
First, the fruit-derived Momordica grosvenori extract can be prepared into mogrosides, grosvenor grosvenor powder, and grosvenor grosvenor juice concentrate and added to food and beverages. It can be directly marked as grosvenor juice/powder on the label, so it conforms to the clean label;
Secondly, Luo Han Guo extract is safe and healthy, and domestic and foreign laws and regulations do not currently limit its specific addition amount;
In addition, Luo Han Guo extract tastes very good, has a unique sweet aftertaste, and has no bitter taste. It can be used alone or combined with other sweeteners to improve the taste;
Luo Han Guo extract also has good water solubility, good pH value and thermal stability, so it can be added to almost all food and beverages;
Luo Han Guo extract will not cause blood sugar changes and dental caries. It is an ideal natural sugar substitute and can be widely used in nutritional health products, infant food, puffed food, seasonings, etc.