Advances in xanthan gum production, modifications and its applications

Xanthan gum, a microbial exopolysaccharide produced commercially by a gram-negative bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. It is a branched heteropolysaccharide, comprising of pentasaccharide units (d-glucose, d-mannose, and d-glucuronic acid residues in the molar ratio 2:2:1). Xanthan gum is an important industrial biopolymer having vast applications in the food, medical, textile and oil industries. It has been used as a stabilizing, gelling, emulsifying and thickening agent in various food and other industrial products. The wide applications of xanthan are attributed to the unique physicochemical characteristics possessed by this gum. Xanthan gum production from synthetic media is costly, therefore, several attempts have been made to produce xanthan gum from agro-based and food industry wastes. However, their use is limited as of now. Various factors influence the production, yield and properties of xanthan gum. It has been modified by various technological approaches to enhance its physicochemical properties which may widen its applications in drug delivery, tissue engineering and oil recovery. This review mainly focuses on properties, production, recovery, applications and recent modifications of xanthan gum.