Xanthan gum - what is it? Food additive E415: properties, application

2024 Author: Isabella Gilson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:14

Xanthan gum - what is it? Xanthan or food stabilizer E415 from the category "food thickeners" is a chemical natural compound that is used in cooking as a thickener, gelling agent and stabilizer. The compound is highly soluble in milk, water, sugar and saline solutions.

Use of food stabilizer in cooking

• When xanthan is added to minced meat, the product becomes more elastic and viscous.
• The structure of the finished product is stable and plastic.
• During heat treatment and long-term preservation of the finished product, moisture loss is reduced.
• Food thickeners are used for cold and hot ingredients.
• Provides a creamy taste to the dish.

The main difference between xanthan gum and most starches is that it works not only with hot, but also with cold dishes, this allows the gum to be used in sauces with cool ingredients.

Xanthan gum, vibration stabletemperatures, works effectively in saline, alkaline solutions, even in acid ones. Withstands freeze/thaw cycles and is an excellent substitute for gluten in case of product elasticity.

In molecular cuisine, gum is widely used for spherification, that is, if necessary, to make a product with suspension of solid particles in a liquid. It does not change the taste sensation, it is used to thicken the sauce, to inhibit gases in liquids, to prevent the dilution of jelly-like products, to stabilize emulsions and to make a stable foam.

Xanthan is also widely used in ice cocktails: the drink gets a creamy texture, and the ice pieces are better distributed in the liquid.

Thickener for sour cream and mayonnaise

In the food industry, E415 is used in the manufacture of mayonnaise, sauce, sour cream. Great importance is given to the appearance, consistency of products: they must be homogeneous, pasty, the consistency must be maintained for the entire shelf life of the product. Some products have a shelf life of 4 months or more.

Xanthan gum helps to achieve such results. An excellent thickener for sour cream and mayonnaise, E415 has high binding properties, is resistant to temperature changes, and to the effects of various enzymes.

Sour cream and mayonnaise with the use of a stabilizer have excellent viscosity, independent of temperature differences. At the same time, gum completely replaces starch, which is added in the classic preparation of products, which makes the taste morerich and fragrant. Xanthan gum forms the backbone of the product's body, making it stable despite temperature fluctuations.

Xanthan gum: composition and origin

But what does this stuff consist of? Xanthan gum - what is it actually? Thanks to the bacterium canthomonas campestris, a derivative of xanthan, this product gets its name. The bacterium consumes sucrose and ferments it into a dense mass. The mass is subsequently processed into powder. Since the polysaccharide serves as a protection against drying out for bacteria, xanthan is widely used in cosmetology to moisturize the skin.

Xanthan gum was first produced in the 1950s in the USA. Entered the retail market in the mid-1960s, in 1969 it began to be used as food. Gum can be obtained in various ways. It was originally made from lactose as a by-product from cheese production. Subsequently, gum began to be obtained from corn, soybeans, wheat.

Innovation in the application of xanthan gum

Xanthan gum - what is it and how is it used in molecular cuisine? Chef Ferrand Adrian used xanthan gum in molecular gastronomy to "suspend" dense substances in liquids. In 2005, he became famous for his "Melon with Ham" dish: a transparent ham xonome with bright melon spheres.

In 2006, with the help of xanthan, Adrian created the dish "Oyster with Cava", which was served in the Spanish El Celler De Can Roca, which has been a top five for several yearsthe best restaurants in the world.

Spherical olive - a classic of molecular cuisine by chef F. Adria - an example of reverse spherification. Xanthan gum is used here as an olive juice thickener, which is enclosed in spheres.

In Lychee Bubbles, xanthan gum is a stabilizer. It combines with white egg powder to form persistent original bubbles.

The use of xanthan in dietary nutrition

Food thickeners, in particular xanthan gum, are used in the diet of people who suffer from food and allergic intolerances. In low-calorie dishes, xanthan is used to improve flavor and texture. E415 is used in the manufacture of gluten-free flour, adding softness and elasticity to the product. For people with dysphagia, a rare disorder of difficulty swallowing, gum is used in cooking because of its viscosity. Creams are made from vegetables, meat, fish, fruits based on xanitan gum.

Properties of xanthan gum

The appearance of the product is transparent, making it easy for air bubbles to form.

The taste is rich, creamy.

Although xanthan gum is also used to stabilize frozen ingredients, freezing is not necessary.

Xanthan has a thixotropic property: it becomes less viscous when mixed. Doesn't become liquid.

Xanthanwidely used not only in cooking, but also in cosmetology, medicine, in the production of paints and varnishes, hygiene products, in the processing of petroleum products.

Xanthan gum. Impact on the human body

Xanthan gum - what is it and how does its use affect the human body? This is a ballast product that is not absorbed by the body. There is no evidence of the negative impact of E415 on the human body.

Studies have shown the absence of any effect on human he alth when using xanthan gum. Since xanthan is a product of natural origin, it has been assigned a minimum safety level. However, experts talk about the possible manifestations of flatulence if this product is consumed in large quantities.

At the same time, due to its low allergenicity, xanthan is acceptable for use in dietary and baby food.