DEFINITION

Gellan Gum is a high-molecular-weight polysaccharide gum produced by a pure-culture fermentation of a carbohydrate with Pseudomonas elodea, purified by recovery with isopropyl alcohol, and then dried and milled. It is a heteropolysaccharide comprising a tetrasaccharide repeating unit of one rhamnose, one glucuronic acid, and two glucose units. The glucuronic acid is neutralized to mixed potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium salts. It may contain acyl (glyceryl and acetyl) groups as the O-glycosidically linked esters. It yields NLT 3.3% and NMT 6.8% of carbon dioxide, calculated on the dried basis.