Xanthan gum, commonly known as corn sugar gum or Han Sheng gum, is a complex polysaccharide produced by the fermentation of sugars (glucose, sucrose, lactose) by Fusarium graminearum in wild rapeseed. Xanthan gum is usually produced from corn starch and is mainly made from carbohydrates by Xanthomonas campestris var. brassinosa. Through aerobic fermentation biotechnology, the 1,6-glycosidic bond is cleaved, the branched chain is opened, and then the linear chain is synthesized to form an acidic extracellular polysaccharide. Xanthan gum is a white or light yellow powder with excellent thickening, suspension, emulsification, and water solubility, as well as good thermal and acid-base stability, so it is widely used in various foods. Xanthan gum can dissolve quickly in water and has good water solubility. Especially soluble in cold water, it can eliminate complicated processing and is easy to use. However, due to its strong hydrophilicity, if water is added directly and the stirring is not sufficient, the outer layer will absorb water and expand into a gel, which will prevent water from entering the inner layer and affect its effectiveness. Therefore, it must be used correctly. Mix xanthan gum dry powder or dry powder additives such as salt and sugar, and slowly add it to the stirring water to make a solution for use.
Xanthan gum solution has the characteristics of low concentration and high viscosity (the viscosity of a 1% aqueous solution is equivalent to 100 times that of gelatin), making it an efficient thickener. The xanthan gum solution has high viscosity under static or low shear conditions, and exhibits a sharp decrease in viscosity under high shear conditions, but the molecular structure remains unchanged. The viscosity of xanthan gum solution does not change significantly with temperature, and the viscosity of xanthan gum aqueous solution remains almost unchanged between 10-80 ℃. Even low concentration aqueous solutions still exhibit stable high viscosity over a wide temperature range. 1% xanthan gum solution (containing 1% potassium chloride) was heated from 25 ℃ to 120 ℃. Its viscosity only decreased by 3%. Xanthan gum solution is very stable to acidity and alkalinity, and its viscosity is not affected between pH 5-10. There is a slight change in viscosity when the pH is less than 4 and greater than 11. Within the pH range of 3-11, the maximum and minimum viscosity values differ by less than 10%. Xanthan gum can dissolve in various acid solutions, such as 5% sulfuric acid, 5% nitric acid, 5% acetic acid, 10% hydrochloric acid, and 25% phosphoric acid. These xanthan gum acid solutions are quite stable at room temperature and will not change in quality for several months. Xanthan gum can also dissolve in sodium hydroxide solution and has thickening properties. The resulting solution is very stable at room temperature. Xanthan gum can be degraded by strong oxidants such as perchloric acid and persulfate, and the degradation accelerates with increasing temperature. Xanthan gum solution can be mixed with many salt solutions (potassium salt, sodium salt, calcium salt, magnesium salt, etc.), and its viscosity is not affected. Under high salt concentration conditions, even in saturated salt solutions, its solubility is maintained without precipitation and flocculation, and its viscosity is almost unaffected. The stable double helix structure of xanthan gum endows it with strong antioxidant and anti enzymatic abilities. Many enzymes such as protease, amylase, cellulase, and hemicellulase cannot degrade xanthan gum. However, during the dissolution process of xanthan gum, due to the rapid swelling of the particle surface to form a viscous adhesive layer, it is prone to agglomeration, which reduces the overall dissolution rate and is limited in some application fields. At present, xanthan gum is mostly used for dry heat treatment by mixing with starch to improve the viscosity, inhibit gelatinization, thermal stability and other physicochemical properties of starch. This includes cassava starch, corn starch, potato starch, etc., which undergo dry heat treatment with xanthan gum. The hydroxyl groups of starch molecules crosslink with the carboxyl groups of xanthan gum molecules, causing changes in physicochemical properties.
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Application and dosage of xanthan gum in food processing
Xanthan gum is a shear thinning pseudoplastic fluid, and its viscosity gradually increases with the increase of mass concentration. It shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing with the increase of temperature, and is beneficial for food shape preservation during processing; Xanthan gum is a thermo reversible gel; Xanthan gum has good freeze-thaw stability, but its water holding capacity is poor. Therefore, it should be selected and used according to specific circumstances in food processing. According to the hygiene standards for the use of food additives in China, xanthan gum can be used in various foods in moderation according to production needs. The dosage in some foods is summarized as follows: 1. Application in beverages
Xanthan gum has good hydrophilicity and stability to temperature, acidity, alkalinity, and salt. It can quickly dissolve in aqueous solutions and form a stable sol, increasing the viscosity of the beverage and improving its stability and particle suspension. For example, when used in liquid beverages at a dosage of 0.1-0.3%, it can thicken, suspend, and improve sensory quality; Adding 0.1-0.3% in solid beverages makes the product easier to shape and enhances its taste. Ma Yinfei et al. determined the effect of adding 0.004%, 0.006%, 0.008%, 0.010%, and 0.012% xanthan gum on the stability of mango juice beverages. The results showed that the TSI stability index of the beverage showed a trend of first decreasing and then increasing. At a dosage of 0.008%, the TSI index was the smallest and the beverage stability was the highest. And when it is compounded with CMC 9 and gellan gum at dosages of 0.012%, 0.050%, and 0.015%, respectively, the flavor, taste, and stability effects are the best and higher than common mango juice beverages on the market. Chen Gang et al. added xanthan gum to peanut milk beverage and found that the emulsification of peanut milk beverage was significantly improved, and the greater the amount of xanthan gum added, the better the emulsification. Duyu conducted an orthogonal experiment by adding different amounts of carboxymethyl cellulose sodium, pectin, xanthan gum, and guar gum to lactic acid bacteria beverages. The results showed that xanthan gum had a certain impact on the stability of lactic acid bacteria beverages. 2. Application in Grain and Grain Products
Dough is formed by adding a small amount of water to flour and kneading it for a period of time, relying on gluten protein to maintain a certain shape. Xanthan gum has a strong water absorption ability. It can combine with water to form a viscous gel, and combine with starch particles and gluten protein to form a three-dimensional space network structure, thus increasing the water holding capacity of the dough, strengthening the strength of gluten, and improving the stability of the dough. The usage amount in noodle products is generally 0.03-0.08%, which enhances toughness, water retention, and extends shelf life. He Chengyun et al. added a certain amount of xanthan gum to Mantou, and found that xanthan gum reduced the hardness, adhesion and chewiness of Mantou, but increased the elasticity, cohesion and resilience. When the amount of xanthan gum added was 0.10%, the effect of improving the texture of Mantou was the best. Adding an appropriate amount of xanthan gum to noodles can increase the binding between gluten protein and starch granules, and improve the tightness of the dough structure. Feng Junmin et al. found in their study of frozen noodles that xanthan gum can increase the maximum tensile strength of frozen noodles, reduce the melting enthalpy and frozen water content of frozen noodles during storage, prevent damage to the gluten film of frozen noodles, and improve the stability of noodles. In addition, adding xanthan gum to quick-frozen dumplings or Wonton skins can improve the taste of noodles, reduce the rotten skins and soup mixing during cooking, and adding a certain amount of xanthan gum to the filling can make the filling soup rich and full. 3. Application in baked goods
Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide containing a large number of hydroxyl groups, which is a hydrophilic colloid that can interact with gluten protein to form a composite spatial network structure. It significantly improves the water holding capacity of gluten protein, enhances the strength of dough, thereby increasing the water holding capacity, elasticity, and softness of baked goods, improving taste, and extending shelf life. The usage amount in cakes is generally 0.1-0.3%, with the function of increasing micropores, softening, and extending shelf life; The usage amount in bread is generally 0.1-0.2%. Its function is to make it soft and most suitable for black bread containing coarse fibers. The experiment conducted by Song Zhenshan et al. showed that after 7 days of storage, cakes with 0.05% to 0.10% xanthan gum had lower hardness and hardness change rate compared to the blank control group, and the cake with 0.10% xanthan gum had the smallest hardness change rate, indicating that adding 0.10% xanthan gum can delay cake aging. Qu Li et al. found that adding an appropriate amount of xanthan gum, especially 0.6%, to bread can better improve its taste, increase bread production, and delay bread aging. Fan Tingting et al. studied the effect of xanthan gum on bread quality when compounded with guar gum, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), and sodium alginate. The results showed that when xanthan gum, sodium alginate and HPMC were mixed at the ratio of 1 ∶ 2 ∶ 6, the baking quality and anti-aging properties of bread could be improved better.
4. Application in frozen beverages
Xanthan gum can stabilize emulsions within the temperature range of -18~100 ℃, inhibit water molecule migration, control ice crystal growth rate, make ice cream taste soft and delicate, and increase the viscosity of ingredients, making ice cream have good plasticity, shape retention, viscosity, and softness. The usage amount in ice cream is generally 0.1-0.3%, which has the functions of multiple micropores, no ice cubes, shortening aging time, and making the product tissue delicate. Research by Liu Meisen et al. has shown that xanthan gum can significantly improve the expansion rate, viscosity, and melt resistance of soft ice cream, while reducing product hardness. Zheng Meixia and others added xanthan gum FJAT-10151 DTJZ to yogurt ice cream and found that it could significantly improve the ice cream's resistance to melting and expansion rate, and inhibit the growth of ice crystals. 5. Application in Condiments
Xanthan gum has good water solubility and can quickly dissolve in water to form a sol, which plays a thickening role. It also has strong stability to heat, acid, alkali, salt, etc., so it can be added to seasonings for use. For example, the usage of soy sauce and oyster sauce is generally 0.05-0.1%, which has the functions of good salt tolerance, increasing viscosity, being suitable for making seasoning sauce, enhancing wall adhesion and adhesion. Tao Decai added xanthan gum to the process of spicy sauce seasoning to maintain the stability of the spicy sauce solution system. The viscosity test was conducted by mixing 0.05%~0.40% xanthan gum with other small ingredients such as salt, malic acid, I+G, etc. The results showed that the viscosity increased with the increase of xanthan gum addition. When the addition amount is 0.2%, 0.3%, and 0.4%, there is no sediment at the bottom of the bottle of Spicy Fresh Dew, and there is no wall hanging or layering phenomenon on the bottle wall. Cen Jianwei and others found that when preparing seafood sauce, adding only starch requires more starch and the resulting seafood sauce is prone to clumping if left for a long time. When using a mixture of 4% starch and 0.25% xanthan gum, not only can the desired consistency be achieved, but also the phenomenon of long-term clumping can be avoided. The study by Wang Yan et al. showed that the combination of xanthan gum and modified starch can further improve the stability, viscosity, and glossiness of tomato sauce, and give tomato sauce a delicate taste. Chen Chunxiang added xanthan gum to soy sauce, and the resulting soy sauce has a rich color, thick texture, and is easier to color and has a better grade. 6. In dishes
Using a 0.1% to 0.2% xanthan gum solution instead of water to prepare the sauce can improve its glossiness, flavor, and insulation properties. Moreover, this good sensory state does not change with temperature changes, showing a certain degree of sensory stability. Adding 1% xanthan gum with starch content to the batter of fried products can increase the crispy and swollen texture of the fried product skin. This not only increases the volume of the fried product, but also makes the sauce easier to adhere, resulting in a better flavor effect.
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Instructions for using xanthan gum
Xanthan gum, due to its strong hydrophilicity, if not stirred thoroughly when directly added to water, the outer layer will absorb water and expand into a gel, thereby preventing water from entering the inner layer and affecting its effectiveness. Therefore, it is necessary to pay attention to its correct use: Take one portion of xanthan gum and mix it with ten or more other dry ingredients such as flour, starch, sugar, monosodium glutamate, salt, etc. used in food production. Then slowly pour it into the stirring water, soak for about two hours, and continue stirring until completely dissolved. 03
Conclusion
Xanthan gum, as a microbial extracellular polysaccharide, is not digested by the human body and has low calories. Therefore, it can be used as a good dietary fiber in functional foods. However, the current production, research and development, and application of food grade xanthan gum in China are not deep enough. In the future, it is necessary to continuously improve production processes, increase production efficiency and xanthan gum quality, and reduce production costs. In addition, it is necessary to strengthen the research and development of xanthan gum products and broaden the application of xanthan gum.
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2024-07-19
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