Xanthan Gum Production and Its Modifications to Obtain Novel Applications: A Review

Abstract

Biopolymers are molecules widely used in many industries because they are biodegradable and have a natural origin. Therefore, they can be obtained from renewable resources and organisms such as animals, plants, or microorganisms. Among the best‐known biopolymers, xanthan gum is an anionic biopolymer composed of glucose, mannose, glucuronic acid, pyruvic acid, and acetyl groups. It can be obtained by fermentation with bacteria of the genus Xanthomonas, has good physicochemical properties, and it is biocompatible with human cells. However, it has disadvantages as it is very susceptible to microbial contamination. Therefore, various physical, chemical, or enzymatic modification methods have been developed to improve its physicochemical and biological properties. Modifications in the backbone of the xanthan gum chains have made it possible to create xanthan gum derivatives with new uses, such as drug delivery systems and improving absorption methods in the pharmaceutical industry to enhance the efficacy of several treatments or therapeutic processes, to promote cell proliferation for tissue engineering as biomedical applications when used in systems such as hydrogels or films. They are also used in food products, in cosmetics, to recover oil from water or ground, to treat wastewater, or granting soil with good conditions to promote plant and vegetables growth. Hence, it is important to know and develop new modification methods to improve and impart new properties to obtain novel applications of xanthan gum.