Recent alerts involving non‑EU xanthan have intensified concern about contaminants and customs disruption. Andina Ingham says its European‑origin xanthan and “Switch‑Safe” process offer UK food manufacturers a lower‑risk alternative.
UK food manufacturers are reviewing their xanthan gum supply chains in the wake of renewed contamination concerns linked to Chinese origin material, according to natural ingredients specialist Andina Ingham.
Recent EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) notifications and industry reports have highlighted several instances where xanthan gum imported from China was flagged or blocked due to contaminant residues and documentation issues, particularly around ethylene oxide and, more recently, chlorates. These cases have led to border delays, product rejections and costly rerouting for importers.
Poor Quality Risks Brand Trust
Andina Company Director Bruce Phillips says: “Recent alerts involving non‑EU xanthan have made it clear that UK manufacturers can’t afford surprises in their stabiliser supply. When an ingredient as fundamental as xanthan goes wrong, you don’t just lose one batch you risk retailer relationships and brand trust.”
Xanthan gum is a critical thickener and stabiliser for sauces, dressings, ready meals, beverages, bakery and plant‑based products, where it underpins viscosity, texture and shelf‑life. Any disruption or non‑compliance therefore has an immediate impact on production schedules and service levels.
Andina’s “Switch‑Safe Xanthan” Process
To help manufacturers reduce their exposure, Andina is promoting European‑origin xanthan produced in Austria, supported by a structured “Switch‑Safe Xanthan” process designed to de‑risk supplier change.
The team at Andina Ingham say its xanthan is fully compliant with EU legislation on ethylene oxide and backed by rigorous testing and documentation packs that enable QA teams to satisfy retailer and audit requirements. Production from non‑GMO raw materials, a range of food‑grade meshes, and investment in low‑carbon manufacturing, including what is described as Austria’s largest solar powered business installation, are all positioned as further benefits for UK buyers seeking both safety and sustainability.
Recognising that manufacturers are cautious about changing a critical ingredient, Andina’s Switch-Safe Xanthan process takes customers through five stages: discovery and specification match, sample and laboratory validation, help with trials, sign-off and phased scale-up, and ongoing optimisation. The aim is to prove equivalent or improved performance in the customer’s own formulations and processes before any full changeover is agreed.
Andina is inviting UK food and drink manufacturers currently reliant on Chinese or other non‑EU xanthan to request a Switch‑Safe assessment and European origin samples matched to their existing grades, accompanied by full technical and compliance documentation.
Further information can be found here:
https://andina-ingham.co.uk/the-benefits-of-european-xanthan-gum/
Call our experts now on 01732 453 333 to discuss your requirements or use the contact form.
What is Guar Gum
Guar gum is a commonly used food ingredient extracted from guar beans. It is highly soluble in water and forms a strong gel in the presence of calcium. In the food industry it is used to bind water and improve the texture and stability of cheeses, yoghurts, sauces, and desserts, and also as a replacement for wheat flour in gluten free bakery applications.
Chemically, guar gum is a galactomannan polysaccharide – in other words, long chains of mannose molecules with side branches of galactose.
So, what is Depolymerised Guar Gum?
Our partners at Polygal AG have developed a clean process which they use to cut the mannose backbone of standard guar into shorter chains, a process called depolymerisation. As a result, some properties of the gum are changed and improved:
- Better cold-water solubility
- Not affected by ions
- Greater temperature and acid stability
- Better synergy with starches
- Does not jellify or become sticky, even at high concentrations
- More stable in high brix applications
- High water binding properties
Polygum 240 Series
Derived from different grades of native guar, the gums can be specified in different particle sizes with narrow viscosity range specifications, making them suitable for many different applications in the food industry. In comparison with native guar, textures are smooth, and stringing is eliminated. It has a very neutral taste with none of the “beany” flavour that can sometimes be detected in native guar at high usage levels. It can also be used as a source of soluble dietary fibre. Unlike some other gums such as tara gum and locust bean gum, DP Guar is cold water soluble.
In cream cheese we can replace more expensive ingredients (such as Locust Bean Gum) up to 100% with improved mouthfeel, spreadability, and syneresis control.
In dairy desserts DP Guar gives a very creamy rather than slimy mouthfeel with improved flavour release and syneresis control.
In frozen desserts freeze-thaw stability is improved considerably.
For soft serve and dairy ice creams, dairy and plant-based whippings, overrun is improved and easily controlled. We can substitute locust bean gum (LBG) up to 100% with the same or improved perform
In fruit preparations we see smoother textures and cost improvements when substituting other gum blends. Water binding can be increased without affecting texture allowing the product to flow and pump more easily.
For sauces and mayonnaises, we can partly or fully replace xanthan gum and LBG at lower cost. DP Guar can also be used as a fat replacer in low fat applications.
With bakery and gluten free bakery applications, DP Guar helps to retain moisture and improve texture and mouthfeel.
In short, depolymerised guar gum has superior performance to standard guar gum, offering a cost-effective replacement to other gums that may be expensive or in short supply, such as tara gum or xanthan gum. Additionally, there ae no labelling differences compared to standard guar gum.
At Andina Ingham Texture Matters! We specialise in gums and stabilisers and have many years of experience helping our customers to develop new products and improve existing ranges and processes across the whole of the food and animal feed industries.
As a natural ingredients and guar gum supplier Andina Ingham has a number of solutions for your food production, including depolymerised guar gum for use in a wide variety of applications.
Call our experts now on 01732 453 333 to discuss your requirements or use the contact form.
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