Xanthan gum produced with Xanthomonas campestris ATCC SD 7012 or DSM 23730 or CNCM I-4861 or CIP 74.23 (1d415)

What it is. Xanthan gum is a high molecular weight polysaccharide produced by fermentation of Xanthomonas campestris. It is marketed as sodium, potassium or calcium salts, in solid form, containing D-glucose and D-mannose as main hexose units together with D-glucuronic and pyruvic acid.

What it is for. It belongs to the technological additives group as a stabiliser (functional group 1d). It is used to modify viscosity and stabilise feed mixtures or premixes, for all animal species other than cats, dogs and aquatic species, with maximum content set by category (e.g. piglets, fattening pigs, poultry categories, turkeys for fattening, birds for laying or breeding, ornamental birds).

Points to watch. Purity criteria apply: loss on drying ≤15%, total ash ≤16%, pyruvic acid ≥1.5%, nitrogen ≤1.5%, ethanol and propan-2-ol combined ≤500 mg/kg. Storage conditions and thermal stability must be stated on the label, and personal eye and respiratory protection may be required when risks cannot be mitigated by operating procedures.