E418 (Gellan gum) is a heteropolysaccharide, an anionic exocellular polysaccharide produced by Sphingomonas elodea in a carbohydrate fermentation process in which glucose, glucuronic acid, rhamnose and esterified acetic acid are also separately involved.
It appears in the form of a white powder.
Gellan is a natural hydrocolloid polysaccharide with thickening properties from which gellan gum is obtained, used in medical, food and in the restoration of ancient works of art, especially books.
What it is used for and where
Food
In the food industry, it is an additive listed as E418 in the European food additives list that is used as a thickener, stabiliser and emulsifier.
Cosmetics
Emulsion stabilizer. Emulsions are thermodynamically unstable. Emulsion stabilisers improve the formation and stability of single and double emulsions. It should be noted that in the structure-function relationship, molar mass plays an important role.
Viscosity Enhancing Agent - aqueous. Since viscosity is important for increasing the chemical and physical stability of the product, Viscosity Enhancing Agent acqueous is an important dosage factor in gels, suspensions, emulsions, solutions. Increasing viscosity makes formulations less sedimentary and more homogeneously thickened.
Medical
A 'true gel structure' of Gellan gum is formed by the aggregation of these associations and is mediated by monovalent and/or divalent cations (e.g. Ca 2+ ) (1). Gellan gum has already been used, made into mucoadhesive beads with Ketoprofen (2) (a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug), particles with ciprofloxacin for skin applications (3), or in biogas compositions for bone tissue regeneration (4).
Other uses
In restoration, it is used for oxide reduction, cleaning and de-acidification.
CAS 71010-52-1
References__________________________________________________________________
(1) De Silva DA, Poole-Warren LA, Martens PJ, Panhuis M. Mechanical characteristics of swollen gellan gum hydrogels. Appl Polym Sci. 2013;130(5):3374–3383. doi: 10.1002/app.39583.
(2) De Silva DA, Poole-Warren LA, Martens PJ, Panhuis M. Mechanical characteristics of swollen gellan gum hydrogels. Appl Polym Sci. 2013;130(5):3374–3383. doi: 10.1002/app.39583
(3) Novac O, Lisa G, Profire L, Tuchilus C, Popa MI Antibacterial quaternized gellan gum based particles for controlled release of ciprofloxacin with potential dermal applications. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2014 Feb 1; 35():291-9.
(4) Gantar A, da Silva LP, Oliveira JM, Marques AP, Correlo VM, Novak S, Reis RL Nanoparticulate bioactive-glass-reinforced gellan-gum hydrogels for bone-tissue engineering. Mater Sci Eng C Mater Biol Appl. 2014 Oct; 43():27-36.
Giavasis I, Harvey LM, McNeil B. Gellan gum. Crit Rev Biotechnol. 2000;20(3):177-211. doi: 10.1080/07388550008984169.
Abstract. For decades microbial exopolysaccharides have been invaluable ingredients in the food industry, as well as having many attractive pharmaceutical and chemical applications. Gellan gum is a comparatively new gum elaborated by the Gram-negative bacterium Sphingomonas paucimobilis. Although its physico-chemical properties have been well characterized, the ecology and physiology of Sphingomonas, and the factors influencing the fermentation process for production of this gum have received much less attention. This review focuses on the metabolism and the enzymic activity of this bacterium, as well as the factors that influence gellan production, including process temperature, pH, stirring rate, oxygen transfer, and composition of the production medium. Potential strategies for improving the production process are discussed in the context of processes for the production of other microbial biopolymers, particularly exopolysaccharides. In addition, the importance and potential utility of gellan lyases in modification of gellan and in other applications is critically evaluated.
E418 
