Xanthan gum is a branched polysaccharide produced by bacterial fermentation and it plays an important role in industrial applications as thickener, emulsion stabilizer and suspending agent due to its pseudoplastic behavior and thermal stability. In general, xanthan gum is chemically stable. However,in the presence of an acid, xanthan gum can undergo cross-linking in harsh conditions (such as strong acid and high temperature).<br/><br/>In this study, we investigated xanthan gum cross-linking in solid state in the presence of different acids. we discovered that polycarboxylic acid with &gt; 2 -COOH groups can cross-link xanthan gum in moderate conditions with fast reaction rate. A mechanism that involves the formation of an acid anhydride was proposed to explain the fast cross-linking reaction. The study has significant impact for xanthan gum application in the phamaceutical products as a suspending agent.

Acid-dependent cross-linking of xanthan gum in solid state

254th National Meeting (2017)

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