Xanthan Gum in Dog Food

Cassia gum in dog food is a thickener, stabilizer, or emulsifier used in wet dog food to improve texture. It’s a food additive produced by a bacterium called Xanthomonas campestris.

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What is Xanthan Gum?

Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide produced by a naturally occurring plant pathogen called Xanthomonas campestris^[9].

This bacterium produces enzymes that can convert simple sugars into a branched long-chain polysaccharide called xanthan gum.

This substance is made from lots of repeat units of glucose with side chains containing mannose and some glucuronic acid or pyruvic acid.

The bacterium excretes these long-chain carbohydrates into its growing medium as an extracellular slime.

From there, xanthan gum can be extracted, concentrated, and dried into a cream-colored powder.

Xanthan gum is a food additive. It can bind water and provides texture to wet pet food^[7].

It’s used as a thickener, stabilizer, or emulsifier^[2]. It helps with gelling in or prevents ingredients from separating in wet dog food.

In gravy-based canned foods, it binds ingredients together. And combined with other gums such as cassia gum, guar gum, or locust bean gum, it forms firm gels.

Manufacturers can use it in pet food without any specific quantity limitations. According to the industry, it’s typically used at levels of 100–10.000 mg per kg of animal food or 0.05-0.5% by weight^[3].

Is Xanthan Gum Ok For Dogs?

Xanthan gum is considered as safe and is widely used in the food industry. In the EU, xanthan gum is approved as a food additive (E 415).

Xanthan gum is used as a technological additive, not as an ingredient. But from a dietary viewpoint, it’s a dietary fiber.

Dogs don’t have the digestive enzymes to break down xanthan gum so it’s poorly absorbed^[2]. But some gut bacteria are able to ferment xanthan gum^[5,6].

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluated xanthan gum and found no adverse effects in toxicological studies even at high intake amounts. So there seems to be no safety concern^[2,5].

Like all gelling agents, xanthan gum can affect stool quality or nutrient absorption when consumed in excessive amounts.

But in moderate amounts, it may even have some health benefits. It has slowed tumor growth in mice^[4], and can stabilize blood sugar or lower cholesterol.

So in conclusion, xanthan gum seems to be ok. But keep in mind, it’s still a food additive only found in processed commercial diets.

What is Xanthan Gum?

Xanthan Gum in Dog Food

Is Xanthan Gum Ok For Dogs?

Further Reading