A - Z Challenge: X

X is for Xanthan.

When I was mentally pawing through the x-words that I knew without resorting to a Google list, the first one that popped into my mind was xanthan.  Specifically xanthan gum.  In an society obsessed - and I am obviously no less obsessed - with reading food labels, I see this ingredient all the time.  But what the heck is it?

OK.  I googled it.  According to an article on Wikipedia, it isn't something that sounds edible.  There is a detailed molecular chart explaining its chemical components.  I'm not a chemistry sort of person, so I have linked the article where you can read it for yourself.  Xanthan is not exactly a man-made substance.  So, while it does occur naturally it has been synthesized for mass production.  It's used that much.

This stuff is a basic in the prepared food industry as a thickener.  You see it on many, many labels.  I was even more curious about it, though, when I read that it can be used to mimic the gluten when making breads with gluten-free grains.  It makes the dough sticky like gluten does.  The fine print states that you have to get a xanthan not made from wheat...so read those labels.  Again.

When I got to the part in the article that said it was grown from a similar bacteria that created black spots on the broccoli and cauliflower that have lingered too long in the fridge, I decided that I knew enough.  I've pretty much given up on pre-made salad dressing which is where I kept seeing it on the ingredient list.  I don't think it's absolutely necessary to a gluten-free diet.  And I think I can manage to eat the broccoli faster than the black spot can gallop.

Xanthan.  Now you know.