Xanthan gum is currently the most excellent biological gum in the world that integrates thickening, suspension, emulsification, and stability. It has unique rheological properties, good water solubility, stability to heat and acid base, and good compatibility with various salts. As a thickener, suspension agent, emulsifier, and stabilizer, it can be widely used in more than 20 industries such as food, petroleum, and medicine, It is currently the largest production scale and widely used microbial polysaccharide in the world
Due to its unique properties, xanthan gum has an extremely wide range of applications in more than a dozen fields such as food, petroleum, medicine, and daily chemical industry. Its high degree of commercialization and wide range of applications make it unmatched by any other type of microbial polysaccharide.
1. In terms of food, many foods add xanthan gum as a stabilizer, emulsifier, suspending agent, thickener, and processing aid. Xanthan gum can control the rheological properties, structure, flavor, and appearance of products, and its pseudoplasticity can ensure good taste. Therefore, it is widely used in salad dressings, bread, dairy products, frozen foods, beverages, seasonings, brewing, candies, pastries, soups, and canned foods. In recent years, people in more developed countries often worry about the high calorific value in food, which can lead to weight gain. Xanthan gum has dispelled this concern because it cannot be directly degraded by the human body. In addition, according to a report from Japan in 1985, comparative testing was conducted on eleven food additives, and xanthan gum was the most effective anticancer agent among them.
2. In terms of daily chemical industry: Xanthan gum molecules contain a large number of hydrophilic groups, making it a good surfactant with antioxidant and anti-aging effects. Therefore, almost the vast majority of high-end cosmetics use Xanthan gum as its main functional component. In addition, xanthan gum can also be used as an ingredient in toothpaste to substantially thicken and shape, reducing tooth surface wear.
3. In terms of medicine: Xanthan gum is a functional component in the currently popular microcapsule drug capsules internationally, playing an important role in controlling drug release; Due to its strong hydrophilicity and water retention, it has many specific medical applications, such as forming a dense water film to avoid skin infections; Alleviate thirst in patients after radiation therapy. In addition, Li Xin and Xu Lei once wrote that xanthan gum itself has a significant enhancing effect on the humoral immune function of mice.
4. Industrial and agricultural applications: In the petroleum industry, due to its strong pseudoplasticity, a low concentration of xanthan gum (0.5%) aqueous solution can maintain the viscosity of the drilling fluid and control its rheological properties. Therefore, the viscosity is extremely low in the high-speed rotating drill bit, saving power; However, in the relatively static drilling area, high viscosity is maintained to prevent wellbore collapse. And due to its excellent salt resistance and heat resistance, it is widely used in drilling in special environments such as oceans and high salt zones, and can be used as an oil recovery and displacement agent to reduce dead oil zones and improve oil recovery rate.
