E 418 GELLAN GUM

Commission Directive 98/86/EC

Definition Gellan gum is a high molecular weight polysaccharide gum produced by a pure culture fermentation of a carbohydrate by natural strains of Pseudomonas elodea, purified by recovery with isopropyl alcohol, dried, and milled. The high molecular weight polysaccharide is principally composed of a tetrasaccharide repeating unit of one rhamnose, one glucuronic acid, and two glucoses, and substituted with acyl (glyceryl and acetyl) groups as the O-glycosidically linked esters. The glucuronic acid is neutralised to a mixed potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium salt

Einecs 275-117-5

Molecular weight Approximately 500 000

Assay Yields, on the dried basis, not less than 3,3 % and not more than 6,8 % of CO2

Description An off-white powder

Identification

A. Solubility Soluble in water, forming a viscous solution.

Insoluble in ethanol

Purity

Loss on drying Not more than 15 % after drying (105 °C, 2½ hours)

Nitrogen Not more than 3 %

Propane-2-ol Not more than 750 mg/kg

Arsenic Not more than 3 mg/kg

Lead Not more than 2 mg/kg

Mercury Not more than 1 mg/kg

Cadmium Not more than 1 mg/kg

Heavy metals (as Pb) Not more than 20 mg/kg

Total plate count Not more than 10 000 colonies per gram

Yeast and mould Not more than 400 colonies per gram

E. coli Negative in 5 g

Salmonella spp. Negative in 10 g