FDA Approves Cargills Xanthan Production Method

FDA Approves Cargills Xanthan Production Method

MINNEAPOLISCargill Food &Pharma Specialties (FPS) was notified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA)of its acceptance of the use of ethanol for precipitating food grade xanthangum. Included in the notification was an approval for the ingredient to berepresented on the label as xanthan gum.

We have consulted with our chemists and other scientificstaffs who have agreed that xanthan gum food ingredient purified using thesolvent ethyl alcohol is indistinguishable from xanthan gum prepared under theconditions described in Title 21 of the Code of Federal Regulations section172.695 in terms of safety, functionality and chemical composition, the FDAletter read. Thus, for purposes of labeling, all xanthan gums produced usingeither ethanol or isopropyl alcohol may be described as xanthan gum on thelabel.

Cargill urged FDA to clarify this labeling issue and tocorrect any misinformation in the North American market about xanthan gum,said R. Creager Simpson, president of Cargill FPS (www.cargill.com). Cargill FPSrecently introduced food grade VersaGum xanthan gum to its full line ofspecialty ingredients.VersaGum is a high-viscosity xanthan gum, remaining stableacross a broad range of pH, temperatures and shearing conditions to ensureproduct integrity throughout production.