What It Is

• Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide gum commercially produced for the food industry.
  
  

Where It Comes From

• To make xanthan gum, producers allow corn sugar to be fermented by a bacterium called Xanthomonas campestris.
  
  

What It's Used In

• Xanthan gum can be found in processed foods, including salad dressings, dairy products, packaged meat and poultry, sauces, baked goods and drinks. It can also be used in non-food products, such as toilet bowl cleaners.
  
  

Why It's Used

• Xanthan gum improves a product's stability, and thickens and emulsifies products.
  
  

What Properties It Has

• Xanthan gum is used partly because it works well alongside many other ingredients and in different kinds of solutions, whether those solutions are acidic or alkaline.