Xanthan gum is a food thickener that is used in commercial food production. From 1906 to 1995, with the help of a research team at the United States Department of Agriculture, is credited with the invention of xanthan gum. Then they had come up with it while trying to decompose cereal grains.

Xanthan gum is used to thicken and add texture to many processed foods. It results from fermenting sucrose or glucose with Xanthomonas campestris bacteria. Xanthan gum is most frequently found in commercial products, such as salad dressings, prepackaged sauces and glazes, where it prevents separation and settling of suspended ingredients, resulting in a more attractive product with a longer shelf life.

Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide. That means it is made of several sugars (saccharides). This is done by fermenting glucose from corn, breaking it down to its basic building blocks.Xanthan gum is used for several food items. They include ice cream, ketchup, salad dressing, mayonnaise and milkshakes.Xanthan gum is mainly used to stabilize foods of a liquid nature. This is done to curb its ability to flow. This is why you have to shake, say, a salad dressing bottle to loosen the contents.

People allergic to corn might want to be careful of consuming foods containing xanthan gum. Otherwise, there are no substantial health concerns.