Xanthan gum is used to thicken and prolong the life of cosmetic products.
Xanthan gum is a colorless artificial additive, first developed as a replacement for corn starch and guar gum. It is most commonly used as a food thickening agent, stabilizer and emulsifier in processed food and cosmetic products. Xanthan gum is a natural carbohydrate and long chain polysaccharide, which is produced by the fermentation of the bacteria xanthomonas campestris. It consists of three simple sugars: glucose, mannose and glucuronic acid.
Glucose
Glucose, otherwise known as blood sugar, is a colorless, odorless carbohydrate and simple sugar. It is water-soluble and easily absorbed by the body's cells and used as energy. When the xanthomonas campestris bacteria is fermented, the glucose is naturally produced, thus forming one of the three trisacharides. Glucose is found naturally in all fruits, with the highest counts found in grapes, cherries, apples and apricots.
Mannose
Mannose, otherwise referred to as D-mannose, is another naturally occurring simple sugar, which is an epimer of the glucose molecule. Like glucose, mannose is naturally produced during the fermentation period of the original bacteria. The mannose helps to thicken the xanthan gum, producing a more stable and rigid molecular backbone, which has a similar structure to cellulose.
Glucuronic Acid
Glucuronic acid is a water-soluble compound similar in structure to the glucose molecule. Along with glucose and mannose, it combines to form a chain of three simple sugars, known as a trisacharides. Glucuronic acid is produced in the liver and occurs naturally in the drink kumbucha.
Acetic Acid
Acetic acid is a relatively weak carboxylic and organic acid. Acetic acid is sometimes used in small amounts in the formation of xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is soluble in acid, therefore the acetic acid provides a good solution to dissolve the xanthan gum in it; it is normally used at a rate of 5 percent so it does not affect the taste or smell of the final product.
Tags: glucose mannose, Acetic acid, cosmetic products, cosmetic products Xanthan, glucose molecule, Glucuronic acid