Xanthan

Description

The human body cannot digest xanthan, which is a starch (polysaccharide, fibre) that is produced naturally by various microorganisms.

Combined with water, xanthan forms a stable, gel-like mass and is therefore used in foodstuff production as a thickening and gelling agent.

Application

Xanthan is added to various products to fulfill different technical functions, e.g.:

• as thickening and binding agent, e.g. in salad dressings, mustard, tomato ketchup, sauces, ice cream etc.
• to improve the characteristics of pastry for bakery products and for their fillings.
• to bind liquids in frozen products (increasing the stability in freezing-thawing).
• as stabilising agent and as carrier molecule for flavourings.

Gene technology

The microbial polysaccharide xanthan has been produced on a large scale for more than 30 years. The bacteria for this production are grown on sugar- or starch-containing solutions.

• The xanthan-producing bacteria (Xanthomonas campestris) can be genetically modified. At present there is no precise information on the extent to which this method is applied commercially.
• The xanthan-producing bacteria usually utilise glucose or glucose syrup, which can be derived from GM maize. GM soya can also be used in the culture medium.

Labelling: additives that are produced in a closed system with the help of genetically modifiend microorganisms do not have to be declared, providing that the specific additive has been purified and contains no microorganisms.

Even if the microorganisms used contain substrates derived from genetically modified plants (e.g. maize, soya), it is not necessary for this to be declared.