Fermentation hydrocolloid · E415 / INS 415 · CAS 11138-66-2
Source 80 or 200 mesh xanthan gum for thickening, suspension and stabilization. Select by viscosity method, dispersion behavior and finished-food rheology—not mesh number alone.
*Supplied commercial reference; confirm current source, method, packing and availability.
Product identity and function
Xanthan gum is a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide produced by pure-culture fermentation of a carbohydrate with Xanthomonas campestris, then recovered with ethanol or isopropanol, dried and milled. FAO/WHO JECFA identifies it as INS 415 and CAS 11138-66-2.
In food systems it is evaluated as a thickener, stabilizer, emulsifier and foaming agent. Its practical value comes from building viscosity at low shear while flowing more readily under mixing, pumping or pouring. The actual curve depends on concentration, hydration, temperature and the complete formulation.
Particle engineering and hydration
Mesh describes particle-size screening, not the full grade. It does not by itself prove viscosity, clarity, microbiological quality or easy dispersion.
Can be considered for general food processing where the validated addition method gives complete hydration.
Provides a finer powder, but finer particles can wet and hydrate rapidly at the surface, increasing lump risk when poorly dispersed.
These claims normally require a defined agglomeration or surface-treatment design plus a performance method. They cannot be inferred from 80 or 200 mesh.
Grade boundary: transparent-solution, rapid-hydration, low-dust, low-microbial or salt-tolerant grades are separate performance claims. Request a source-specific grade and evidence before using those descriptions.
Application-specific rheology
These are technical trial paths, not universal use permissions or dosage recommendations. Confirm the destination-market food category and complete formulation.
Target suspension and cling at rest with pour or pump flow under shear. Test yield behavior, mouthfeel, oil separation, acid/salt effects and viscosity recovery after processing.
Screen particle suspension and phase stability without excessive ropiness. Record hydration order, clarity/turbidity, protein/mineral interactions, heat treatment and sediment over shelf life.
Evaluate water binding and structure with starches, proteins and other gums. Measure dough handling, gas retention, bake loss, crumb texture and staling rather than assuming a universal replacement ratio.
Assess water mobility, freeze-thaw stability, syneresis and texture through the intended temperature cycle. The stabilizer system and solids profile influence the result.
Supplied data with method boundaries
The values below reproduce Bespring's supplied commercial sheet. They are not a batch COA and do not establish JECFA, FCC or other compendial conformity without complete methods and all required criteria.
| Test item | Supplied limit | Qualification note |
|---|---|---|
| Particle size | “≥80 mesh”; 80 and 200 mesh offered | Exact sieve, percentage passing and separate 200-mesh criterion are missing |
| Loss on drying | ≤13.00% | Stricter numerically than JECFA ≤15%; confirm 105°C / 2.5 h method |
| pH | 6.0–8.0 | Solution concentration, water and temperature are not stated |
| Ash | ≤15.00% | Stricter numerically than JECFA ≤16% after drying |
| Shear value | ≥6.50 | Calculation and test conditions are required |
| Viscosity | 1,200–1,700 mPa·s | Require sample concentration, medium, hydration, temperature, instrument, spindle and speed |
| Pyruvic acid | ≥1.5% | Matches the JECFA minimum numerically; confirm method |
| Total nitrogen | ≤1.5% | Matches JECFA maximum numerically |
| Heavy metals | ≤20 ppm | Legacy aggregate test; not a substitute for named elemental limits |
| Lead | ≤2 mg/kg | Matches JECFA maximum numerically |
| Total plate count | ≤2,000 CFU/g | Stricter numerically than JECFA ≤5,000 CFU/g |
| Coliforms | Not detected in 5 g | Not equivalent to JECFA's E. coli criterion without the stated organism/method |
| Yeasts and moulds | ≤500 CFU/g | Matches JECFA maximum numerically |
| Salmonella | Not detected in 10 g | Confirm method and destination-standard sampling plan |
JECFA additionally covers identity, carbon-dioxide assay, residual ethanol/isopropanol and E. coli. Those fields are absent from the supplied commercial table.
Review the FAO JECFA xanthan gum recordDo not claim full JECFA conformity from numerical overlap. Obtain a current signed specification with test methods, residual solvents, identity/assay fields and a representative COA for the offered grade.
Prevent incomplete hydration
Most apparent “low viscosity” failures begin with addition and hydration, not necessarily the xanthan polymer itself.
Record batch size, water temperature and hardness, pH, salts, sugars, proteins, oils and other hydrocolloids.
Add at the point of adequate agitation or pre-disperse by an approved dry blend/oil-slurry route. Avoid dumping powder onto a quiet surface.
Fix addition rate, mixer type, speed, time and ingredient order. High sugar or salt concentration can delay water access and full hydration.
Compare viscosity at defined shear rates, flow after pumping/pouring, suspension at rest and recovery after shear.
Repeat heat, homogenization, filling, freeze-thaw and storage conditions; track separation, syneresis, texture and sensory acceptance.
Translate the successful trial into agreed mesh distribution, viscosity method, microbiological limits and batch acceptance criteria.
Supplied commercial references
Loading differs by particle option and pallet choice on the supplied sheet. Reconfirm bag construction, dimensions, pallet pattern and legal payload for every route.
Certificates: the supplied sheet lists Kosher, Halal and ISO. Verify current certificates for the exact grade, manufacturer/site, certificate owner, scope and validity period before using them in approval or marketing.
Storage and handling
Buyer questions
No. Finer powder can hydrate faster but can also form surface-hydrated lumps when added too quickly or with insufficient agitation. Easy-dispersing or instant performance requires a defined grade and a validated dispersion test; mesh alone is insufficient.
At minimum, specify sample concentration, water or salt medium, hydration procedure and time, temperature, viscometer, spindle, speed or shear rate, and reading time. A value without these conditions is not suitable for supplier comparison.
It primarily builds a viscous, shear-thinning solution rather than a firm standalone gel. JECFA uses interaction with carob/locust bean gum as an identity test; actual texture with other hydrocolloids must be validated in the food system.
No. Some limits match or are numerically tighter, but methods are missing and the table omits JECFA identity/assay, residual-solvent and E. coli fields. Request a complete source-specific specification and COA.
State food grade, 80/200 mesh or dispersion requirement, application, viscosity method and target, microbiological limits, packing, quantity, destination, pallet preference, Incoterm and required certificates.
Substantive content review: 2026-08-22 · Independent identity and purity reference: FAO/WHO JECFA.
Hydrocolloid selection
Compare thickening, gelling, suspension and stabilization routes across the product family.
Compare hydration, body, cost-in-use and xanthan/guar interactions in the target system.
Evaluate gelling and protein-reactive options where xanthan's flow profile is not sufficient.
Compare fluid-gel suspension and ion-dependent structuring for beverages and other foods.
Connect viscosity selection with cling, pumping, filling, emulsion stability and shelf testing.
Evaluate suspension, clarity, minerals, proteins and processing as one beverage system.
Method-defined sourcing
Provide test conditions and process needs so the offered mesh and viscosity grade can be compared correctly.