Xanthan Gum

Xanthan Gum - Let's just agree to refer to Xanthan Gum as XG from now on to save me from having to type the whole thing out over and over again.  

Yesterday, we learned that XG was not from a legume plant called Xanthan, but the only "gum" to be a chemically engineered food product on our Soy Allergy "Do Not Eat" Lists.  Since this ingredient is listed in so many things, I wanted to know more.  Here is what I learned:

According to Wikipedia, XG is a product made by fermenting plant-based sugar using a bacteria and isopropyl alcohol.  This substance is then dried and ground into a powder.  A liquid is then added to form the "gum" substance.  It is most commonly found in salad dressings and sauces because of it's ability to thicken them in a resting state.  The food industry likes XG for this application because it has a unique property: when a product containing XG is shaken, mixed or chewed (gross!) it will thin out so that it can be easily poured, but once the activity stops, the mixture thickens to its original state so that the dressing or sauce clings to the food it is meant to cover.  I'm paraphrasing here to make it a little easier to understand, but anything in quotes is taken directly from the Wiki article. 

Because XG is also "very stable under a wide range of temperatures and pH," it has a ton of other uses for the pre-packaged food industry.  XG stabilizes emulsions (combinations of water-based & oil-based liquids), so it gives better shelf life and a more pleasant/uniform texture to frozen foods, beverages, toothpaste, and gluten-free baking, just to name a few uses.

Commercial uses and health reports:

• The oil industry uses copious amounts of XG to help them drill.  It thickens the drilling mud so that it can carry the solid waste left by the drill bit back to the surface.  
• XG is added to concrete mixes that are poured underwater, to stabilize the concrete and prevent the structure from being compromised while it sets up.  
• XG is used in many cosmetics, especially gel formulas.  For my fellow theatrical people, it is also a common ingredient in fake blood & slime recipes.
• Serious respiratory symptoms were found in workers exposed to XG particles, and the link to XG was confirmed.
• XG can be created from a variety of raw source materials.  The three most common are also common allergens: corn, wheat & soy.  Most products will not tell you with which ingredient their XG fermentation was grown, so this makes it  a dicey gamble for anyone allergic to any of the three.
• XG is considered to be a "highly effective laxative."  You always wanted to know that, didn't you?

I am a firm believer in eating as close to the original state of a food source as possible.  I feel that food was created by nature the way our bodies are meant to eat it.  Don't get me wrong...I'm not a strict raw vegan or anything...but I would rather eat my fruits & veggies uncooked & unsauced, with a few exceptions, and I prefer my baked goods to be made without any chemically altered ingredients, if possible.  I do eat & cook meat:  chicken & turkey mostly, ham (I always check the smoke & ingredients), bacon (likewise), and the occasional bit of lamb as a treat when it's in season.  I have given up beef -- it doesn't agree with me, and I'm on the bandwagon about the environmental cost of producing it.  

I wouldn't really have a lot of options for protein if I became a vegetarian with my allergies, but I feel that I'm making the right choices for me and for my environment.

Yours sincerely, 

Soylesse Greenapple