xanthan

American  

[zan-thuhn] / ˈzæn θən /

noun

Nutrition.

1. a water-soluble natural gum produced by the fermentation of sugar with certain microorganisms and used as a binder, extender, or stabilizer in foods and other products.

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Etymology

Origin of xanthan

1960–65; probably Xanth(omonas campestris) bacterium which produces the gum + -an, variant of -ane

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

xanthan

As reported in Nature Biomedical Engineering, the key to preventing organoids from clumping was xanthan gum, a widely used food additive.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 18, 2025

I reached out to my network of friends and extended friends who were celiac to get tips on good gluten-free brands and filled my pantry with alternative flours and xanthan gum.

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 16, 2023

“It’s not just the salt and sugar, which are the obvious ones, but the artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, emulsifiers, stabilizers, guar gum and xanthan gum,” he said.

From Washington Post ● Sep. 27, 2022

For this recipe, the unconventional touches include gluten-free all-purpose flour and a bit of xanthan gum or psyllium husk powder.

From Salon ● Dec. 1, 2021

I’m betting it got its creaminess from xanthan gum or some other additive.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan