Hydration Of Xanthan Gum

Xanthan Gum (E415) is widely used for its thickening and stabilizing effect on emulsions and suspensions. Xanthan gum forms a gel structure in water which is shear thinning and may be used in combination with other rheology modifiers, particularly Guar gum as the two combine to give greatly increased effects.

Xanthan gum can be dispersed into hot or cold liquids, and many grades of gum are available. The powder has a strong tendency to form lumps when added to water and a number of dispersion and hydration methods are used to try and overcome this. These vary according to the scale of production, other ingredients used, etc. but include:

Slow addition of the powder into the vortex in an agitated vessel. Once dispersed mixing continues to allow the product to hydrate.
The gum may be premixed with other powdered ingredients such as sugars which reduces the formation of agglomerates by separating the particles.

Similarly, the product may be dispersed into non-aqueous phase liquids such as oils. This is then added to the aqueous phase allowing the gum to hydrate.

Agglomerates can easily form, even when the above steps are taken to reduce the risk when using agitators. Agitators do not produce sufficient shear to rapidly break these down.
Potential full yield is difficult to obtain using traditional methods. In addition long mixing times are required to complete dispersion/hydration which can degrade the gel.

Read how a Silverson High Shear mixer can produce an agglomerate-free dispersion and fully hydrate Xanthan gum in a fraction of the time taken by conventional methods.