Xanthan Gum, a fully biodegradable ingredient

Kasel offers state-of-the-art process, customized , CO2-reduced Xanthan Gum plant. Kasel is trader and distributor of Xanthan Gum too. Whether chewing gum or toothpaste, ketchup or mayonnaise, jam or ice cream, Xanthan occurs in many of our food. It serves as a thickening or gelling agent with special properties, as a pharmaceutical aid and has conquered a permanent place in cosmetics. Xanthan Gum (Xanthan) is a naturally occurring long-chain anionic polysaccharide (a multiple sugar), which was discovered by a team of researchers from the US Ministry of Agriculture in the late 1950s and was on the market in the 1960s. Xanthan arises from the fermentation of sugar – containing raw materials. Simple sugar molecules such as glucose (glucose) and sucrose (household sugar, crystal sugar) or corn starch becomes the more complex polysaccharide Xanthan. After pasteurizing the fermentation approach, Xanthan is separated and dried. You get a cream -white powder that disolves well in water. The name Xanthan is derived from the name of Xanthomona’s bacterial genre of Xanthomona, which was used for fermentation. Xanthan increases the viscosity of an otherwise too thin texture by swelling and highly viscous (viscous, honey -like) gels.

Main industrial applications of Xanthan Gum

Xanthan gum serves as an ecologically responsible alternative for many applications in the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, home and personal care industries. The toxicological and safety properties of xanthan gum for food and pharmaceutical applications have been extensively researched. Xanthan is non-toxic and does not inhibit growth. It is non-sensitizing and does not cause skin or eye irritation. On this basis, xanthan has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use a food additive without any specific quantity limitations (Kennedy and Bradshaw, 1984). In 1980, the European Economic Community xanthan to the food emulsifier/stabilizer list, as item E-415. Xanthan gum has been used in a wide variety of foods for a number of important reasons, including emulsion stabilization, temperature stability, compatibility with food ingredients, and its pseudoplastic rheological properties. Table 2 lists some current uses of xanthan gum in food and other applications. Because of its properties in thickening aqueous solutions, as a dispersing agent, and stabilizer of emulsions and suspensions, xanthan gum is used in pharmaceutical formulations, cosmetics, and agricultural products. It is used in textile printing pastes, ceramic glazes, slurry explosive formulations, and rust removers. High viscosity of solutions and water solubility of the polymer have created important applications for xanthan in the petroleum industry where it is commonly used in drilling fluids and in enhanced oil recovery processes.

With a history of calculating carbon footprints and implementing sustainability initiatives Kasel’s process design is based on using sustainable and renewable raw materials, be energy efficient, recycle everywhere possible, reuse by-products and waste water to produce fertilizers and other end-products  to produce biodegradable xanthan gum.

The global Xanthan Gum market stood at approximately 280 thousand tonnes in 2024 and is anticipated to grow at a  Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of more than 3%.

The escalating demand for foods is driving significant growth in the global food industry is majorly driving the xanthan gum market. The rise of gluten-free and vegan food products has further boosted the demand for xanthan gum, as it helps mimic the texture and viscosity of gluten in baked goods. Increasing health consciousness among consumers has led to the preference for natural and clean label ingredients, which has driven the demand for xanthan gum as a natural polysaccharide. With the resurgence of oil and gas exploration activities globally, particularly in regions with challenging geological conditions, the demand for xanthan gum in drilling applications is expected to remain strong. The increasing demand for skincare and haircare products has contributed to the growth of xanthan gum in this sector. Xanthan gum finds applications in various industrial processes such as paints and coatings, adhesives, and textiles, where it serves as a thickening and stabilizing agent. With rapid industrialization and construction activities across the globe, the demand of paints & coatings is bound to increase, curating market growth opportunities for xanthan gum.

Based on the end-user industry, the global Xanthan Gum market is divided into Food & Beverages, Oil and Gas, Pharmaceuticals, Cosmetics, and Others. Among these, Food & Beverages is the major segment and held about 45% of the global Xanthan Gum market in 2023

Major players in the Global Xanthan Gum market are: Fufeng Group Ltd, Meihua Group Ltd., Deosen Biochemical Ltd , JM Huber Corporation, Cargill, Jungbunzlauer,  ADM, Solvay S.A and Dupont.

In 2024 is the production capacity of Xanthan gum in China around 195000 tons per year. 3 factories are still producing Xanthan gum in China: Deosen Biochemical(Ordos) Ltd with a production capacity of around 35000 tons per year,  Fufeng Group Limited with a yearly capacity of about 80000 tons per year and Meihua Group limited with a yearly capacity of 80000 tons.