Xanthan Gum: What It Is, FDA Status, Side Effects and Substitutes

Xanthan gum is a thickening and stabilizing ingredient made by fermenting sugar with a bacterium called Xanthomonas campestris, then drying the gum the microbes produce into a fine powder. A small pinch turns a thin liquid noticeably thicker, which is why it shows up in salad dressings, sauces, ice cream, gluten-free bread, protein shakes and many supplement gummies and powders. The FDA permits it as a food additive under 21 CFR 172.695. Below: what xanthan gum is, why it is used, what regulators and studies say, the 2011 FDA warning about a xanthan-based thickener in infants, digestive side effects, and common substitutes.

Peptide Labs does not sell xanthan gum as a product; it can appear among the inactive ingredients of some supplements, including a few in our store. This article is general information, not medical advice.

What is xanthan gum?

According to the FDA regulation, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide gum derived from Xanthomonas campestris by a pure-culture fermentation process. Its building blocks are three sugars: D-glucose, D-mannose and D-glucuronic acid. It is sold as a sodium, potassium or calcium salt. The regulation requires the bacterial strain to be nonpathogenic and nontoxic to people and animals, and it sets purity limits, including a cap on leftover isopropyl alcohol from the recovery step.

In the kitchen, xanthan gum behaves in a useful way: it makes liquids thick when they sit still, yet they thin out when stirred, shaken or poured, then thicken again. That is why a dressing clings to lettuce but still pours from the bottle. It also holds tiny particles in suspension, keeps oil and water from separating, and helps gluten-free dough hold together.

Why xanthan gum is in so many foods and supplements

• Dressings, sauces and gravies: keeps oil and water mixed and gives body.
• Ice cream and frozen desserts: helps limit ice crystals and gives a smoother texture.
• Gluten-free baking: partly replaces the stretch and binding that gluten provides.
• Drinks and protein shakes: keeps powders suspended instead of settling at the bottom.
• Supplements: gummies, chewables, drink mixes and liquid suspensions often list it under “other ingredients”.
• Thickened drinks for people with swallowing difficulty (dysphagia), used under clinical guidance.
• Non-food uses such as toothpaste and cosmetics.

Xanthan gum FDA status and international reviews

In the US, xanthan gum is regulated as a direct food additive under 21 CFR 172.695. The rule lets manufacturers use it as a stabilizer, emulsifier, thickener, suspending agent, bodying agent or foam enhancer in foods, as long as a food’s standard of identity does not rule it out. On an ingredient list it simply appears as “xanthan gum”.

In Europe it carries the code E 415. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re-evaluated it in 2017 and concluded that there was no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake (ADI) and no safety concern for the general population at the refined exposure estimates. EFSA also found no concern for its use in foods for special medical purposes for infants and young children at the levels industry reported, but stated that its evaluation did not apply to infants under 12 weeks of age, which would need a separate risk assessment.

The 2011 FDA warning about a xanthan gum thickener in infants

In May 2011, FDA advised parents, caregivers and health care providers not to feed SimplyThick, a xanthan gum-based thickening gel, to infants born before 37 weeks of gestation. A May 27, 2011 health advisory said FDA was aware of 17 reports of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), including five deaths, in premature infants who had been fed the product mixed with breast milk or infant formula. NEC is a life-threatening condition in which intestinal tissue becomes inflamed and dies.

FDA’s follow-up review, published in The Journal of Pediatrics in 2012, described 22 infants who developed late-onset NEC after receiving the thickener; 21 were born prematurely and one at full term. After that review, FDA extended its caution to infants of any age. The reports showed a pattern linked to the product; they did not establish exactly how the illness developed. The practical lesson is narrow: thickening feeds for an infant is a decision for the infant’s clinician, and it says little about the small amounts of xanthan gum adults eat in everyday foods.

Xanthan gum side effects: what studies show

Your body does not absorb xanthan gum intact. EFSA’s review notes that it passes to the large intestine, where gut bacteria partly ferment it. That is why it behaves somewhat like a soluble fiber. In a human study EFSA reviewed, volunteers who ate large amounts every day for several weeks had more stool output, more frequent bowel movements and more gas; the researchers described it as acting like a bulk laxative. Those intakes were far higher than the exposure regulators estimate from a normal diet.

• Gas and bloating, mainly with large amounts or in people with sensitive digestion.
• Looser or more frequent stools at high intakes.
• Fullness, since thickened foods and drinks can feel more filling.
• A thicker texture that some people with swallowing problems need, and others find unpleasant.

If gums and fibers tend to upset your stomach, the patterns are similar to those covered in our guide to fiber supplement side effects. People following a low FODMAP diet for irritable bowel symptoms often find small amounts of xanthan gum tolerable, but individual responses vary, so note how you feel and talk to your clinician or a dietitian about persistent symptoms.

Is xanthan gum bad for you?

For most people eating it in ordinary foods, regulators have not found a safety concern. The real issues are narrower: digestive effects at large intakes, the infant warning above, and the fact that xanthan gum often appears in highly processed foods, which is a question about the overall food rather than the gum itself. Some lab and animal studies have raised questions about how certain emulsifiers affect gut bacteria, but much of that work tested other additives, and human evidence for xanthan gum specifically is limited. Our overview of how to improve gut health covers the diet patterns with stronger evidence.

Xanthan gum in supplements and gluten-free foods

In supplements, xanthan gum usually appears under “other ingredients” on the Supplement Facts panel. It keeps gummies chewy, suspends particles in liquids and stops powders from clumping. It is an inactive ingredient, so we do not point to specific products for it. Some fibers sold as supplements are also thickeners in their own right, such as konjac glucomannan and acacia fiber.

Xanthan gum itself contains no gluten, which is why gluten-free bakers rely on it. People with celiac disease still need to check the whole product: look for a gluten-free claim, which under FDA’s labeling rule means the food contains fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten, and ask your clinician about anything uncertain.

Xanthan gum substitute options

If you want to avoid xanthan gum in home cooking, several ingredients can do a similar job. Results differ by recipe, so expect some trial and error.

Psyllium is also sold as a fiber supplement; see our comparison of psyllium powder, capsules and gummies if you are curious about that route. For another common additive you may see on the same labels, read our guide to red dye 40.

How to spot xanthan gum on a label

• Food: look for “xanthan gum” in the ingredient list; it is not hidden under another name in the US.
• Supplements: check “other ingredients” below the Supplement Facts panel.
• Europe and imports: the code E 415 means xanthan gum.
• Infant products: follow the infant’s clinician and the product label; do not add thickeners on your own.

Frequently Asked Questions

Questions about a label? Contact us or read our Buyer’s Guide. Food comes first; follow the label and ask a healthcare provider before starting a supplement, especially if you take medicines, are pregnant or have a digestive condition. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

Last reviewed October 2026.

Related guides: Carrageenan: What It Is, Is It Safe, and What Studies Show, Maltodextrin: What It Is, FDA Status, Side Effects and Labels, Fiber Supplement Side Effects: Gas, Choking Risk, Allergies and Medicine Timing.