Biosaccharide Gum-1
What Is It?
Xanthan GumSticky, polysaccharide substances exuded by plants that are gelatinous when moist but harden on drying. and Biosaccharide Gum-1 are polysaccharides derived from the fermentation of carbohydrates. Xanthan Gum is derived from glucose or corn syrup, while Biosaccharide Gum-1 is derived from sorbitol. Xanthan Gum and Biosaccharide Gum-1 are used in a wide variety of cosmetics and personal care products including bath products, makeup, skin and hair care products, and toothpaste.
Why Is It Used?
In cosmetics and personal care products, Xanthan Gum may function as a binderIngredients that hold together the ingredients of a compressed tablet or cake., emulsion stabilizerIngredients that help to keep an emulsion from separating into its oil and liquid components., skin-conditioning agent – miscellaneous, surfactantAn ingredient that helps two substances that normally do not mix to become dissolved or dispersed in one another. Also called a surface active agent. – emulsifying agent, or viscosity increasing agent – aqueous. Biosaccharide Gum-1 is reported to function as a skin conditioning agent – miscellaneous.
Scientific Facts
Xanthan Gum and Biosaccharide Gum-1 are both very large molecules with average molecular weights of 1,000,000 or more. Xanthan Gum dissolves readily in water with stirring, resulting in highly viscous solutions at low concentrations.
Safety Information
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) includes Xanthan Gum on its list of food additives permitted for direct addition to food. In foods, it is permitted to be used as a stabilizer, emulsifier, thickener, suspending agent, bodying agent or foam enhancer. It is also allowed to be used in some processed cheese products. FDA also includes Xanthan Gum on its list of indirect food additives for use in polymers that come in contact with food. The safety of Xanthan Gum and Biosaccharide Gum-1 has been reviewed by the Cosmetic Ingredient ReviewThe Cosmetic Ingredient Review (CIR) was established in 1976 as an independent safety review program for cosmetic ingredients. The CIR Expert Panel consists of independent experts in dermatology, toxicology, pharmacolgy and veterinary medicine. The CIR includes participation by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration and the Consumer Federation of America. (CIR) Expert Panel. The CIR Expert Panel reviewed the scientific data and concluded that these ingredients were safe as used in cosmetics and personal care products.
CIR Safety Review:
Based on the large molecular weights, the CIR Expert Panel determined that Xanthan Gum and Biosaccharide Gum-1 would not be absorbed through the skin. The CIR Expert Panel reviewed data that indicated that Xanthan Gum was not a reproductive or developmental toxicant. Studies of other polysaccharideA large group of natural complex carbohydrates with the general formula (C6H10O5)n where ‘n’ is a large number. Polysaccarides are easily hydrolyzed into simple sugars. gums did not reveal a genotoxic effect. Xanthan Gum and Biosaccharide Gum-1 were not considered to be dermal irritants or sensitizers.
Based on the available data on Xanthan Gum and other polysaccharide gums, the CIR Expert Panel concluded that Xanthan Gum and Biosaccharide Gum-1 were safe as used in cosmetic products. Xanthan Gum is identified in 21 CFR 172.695 as a food additive that may be safely used following prescribed conditions.
Link to FDA Code of Federal Regulations regarding Xanthan Gum
- Gums, Chewing Gum Bases and Related Substances
- Pasteurized Process Cheese Spread
- Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate Copolymers
Xanthan Gum and Biosaccharide Gum-1 may be used in cosmetics and personal care products marketed in the European Union according to the general provisions of the Cosmetics Regulation of the European UnionUnder the general provisions of the cosmetics regulation of the EU, ingredients appearing on the following function-specific annexes must comply with the listed restrictions and/or specifications: colorants (Annex IV), preservatives (Annex V), UV filters (Annex VI) and other ingredients with specific concentration limits and/or other restrictions (Annex III). Ingredients specifically prohibited from use in cosmetic products are listed in Annex II. Other ingredients listed in the EU cosmetic ingredient database (CosIng) may be used without restrictions..
More Scientific Information
Xanthan Gum is produced from glucose or corn syrup by fermentation with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. The primary structure consists of a cellulose backbone with trisaccharide side chains, the repeating unit being a pentasaccharide. In foods, Xanthan Gum is most often found in salad dressings and sauces. It helps to stabilize the oil and solid materials found in these products. It is also used in frozen foods and beverages. Toothpaste often contains Xanthan Gum, where it serves as a binder to keep the product uniform. Biosaccharide Gum-1 is a fermentation gum produced from sorbitol. It is a polysaccharide consisting of fucose, galactose and galacturonic acid residues.
Resources
Find out more about the regulation of Food Additives by the Food and Drug Administration
- Food Ingredients and Packaging
- Food Contact Substances
- Substances Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe. Under sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act), any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive, that is subject to premarket review and approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.)
- Search the Code of Federal Regulations
- EU Cosmetics Inventory