Stabilizers & Fibers
Xanthan Gum in gelato
Xanthan gum is a high-molecular-weight microbial polysaccharide used as a cold-soluble thickener and stabilizer. In gelato it builds viscosity, suspends solids and slows ice-crystal growth, contributing body without adding sweetness or freezing-point depression.
Balancing parameters
Per 100 g of product, verified against independent food-science sources (listed below).
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Total Solids | 100% |
| Water | 0% |
| Sugars | 0% |
| Fat | 0% |
| MSNF | 0% |
| Protein | 0% |
| POD (sweetening power) | 0 |
| PAC (anti-freezing power) | 0 |
Typical use: 0.05-0.3% of the total mix (often 0.05-0.15% blended with other stabilizers)
Balance xanthan gum in a real recipe
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Open the balancerHow to use it in gelato
Xanthan gum is a pure stabilizer, so it adds effectively zero PAC and zero POD: it does not lower the freezing point or add sweetness, and should be balanced separately from sugars. Its job is texture. Even at fractions of a percent it sharply raises mix viscosity, suspends cocoa and fruit solids, improves meltdown resistance and limits ice recrystallization during storage. It hydrates in cold water, unlike gelatin or LBG, making it useful for no-cook bases. Because it is strongly pseudoplastic and synergistic with locust bean and guar gums, it is usually dosed low and blended to avoid a gummy or slimy mouthfeel.
Origin & background
Xanthan gum was discovered in the early 1960s by Allene Rosalind Jeanes and her team at the USDA Northern Regional Research Laboratory, produced by fermenting glucose with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. It was cleared by the U.S. FDA as a food additive in 1969 and is now a global standard hydrocolloid.
Frequently asked questions
Sources
- https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10866857/
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xanthan_gum
- https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S187881812200055X
- https://www.icecreamscience.com/blog/stabilizers-ice-cream
- https://icecreamcalc.com/stabilizers/
- https://www.britannica.com/topic/xanthan-gum