Xanthan gum is a biosynthetic gum, appearing as an off-white or light yellow powder. It is a high molecular weight polysaccharide polymer produced by the pure culture fermentation of the microorganism Xanthomonas campestris, using starch as the main raw material, under specific culture medium conditions, pH, aeration, and temperature. It is then refined, dried, and ground.

The backbone of xanthan gum is similar to cellulose, but the interactions between the negatively charged side chains and between the side chains and the polymer backbone cause the side chains to wrap around the main chain in a reverse helix, forming a rigid, rod-like double helix structure stabilized by hydrogen bonds. Typically, when the backbone of a water-soluble polymer is attacked or cleaved by chemicals or enzymes, it loses its thickening ability. However, in xanthan gum solutions, the side chains winding around the polymer backbone protect it from such attacks, making xanthan gum highly resistant to degradation by chemicals and enzymatic reagents.

Xanthan gum is a superior biological gum that integrates thickening, suspending, emulsifying, and stabilizing properties. The number of pyruvate groups at the ends of the molecular side chains greatly influences its performance. Xanthan gum possesses the general properties of long-chain polymers but contains more functional groups than typical polymers, displaying unique characteristics under specific conditions. It exists as a polyanion in aqueous solutions with diverse conformations, exhibiting different properties under varying conditions and possessing unique physical and chemical characteristics.