XANTHAN GUM || Skin Deep® Cosmetics Database

XANTHAN GUM

Score	Data: Limited
CAS	11138-66-2
facial moisturizer/ treatment (772 products)
moisturizer (669 products)
anti-aging (446 products)
facial cleanser (337 products)
body wash/ cleanser (180 products)
Show all 3,502 products that contain XANTHAN GUM.
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XANTHAN GUM

image source: PubChem

Health concerns of ingredient
About the ratings
Cancer	no information
Developmental & reproductive toxicity	no information
Allergies & immunotoxicity	no information
Use restrictions	no information
Contamination concerns: none
Other LOW concerns: Data gaps

About the ratings

EWG provides information on personal care product ingredients from the published scientific literature, to supplement incomplete data available from companies and the government. The ratings below indicate the relative level of concern posed by exposure to the ingredients in this product - not the product itself - compared to other product formulations. The ratings reflect potential health hazards but do not account for the level of exposure or individual susceptibility, factors which determine actual health risks, if any. Learn more | Legal Disclaimer

Function/use(s): Binder; Emulsion Stabilizer; Skin-Conditioning Agent - Miscellaneous; Surfactant -Emulsifying Agent; Viscosity Increasing Agent - Aqueous; BINDING; EMULSION STABILISING; GEL FORMING; SKIN CONDITIONING; VISCOSITY CONTROLLING

About XANTHAN GUM: Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide, a sugar-based polymer produced by bacteria; it is used as a viscosity agent in personal care products and foods.

Synonym(s): CORN SUGAR GUM; XANTHAN; POLYSACCHARIDE B 1459

Data gaps
type of concern	product conditions	reference
Not assessed for safety in cosmetics by industry panel
709 studies in PubMed science library may include information on the toxicity of this chemical see search results ->		PubMed

Ecotoxicology
type of concern	product conditions	reference
Not suspected to be an environmental toxin		Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Multiple, additive exposure sources
type of concern	product conditions	reference
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food		FDA Everything Added to Food
Designated as safe for general or specific, limited use in food		FDA Food Additive Status

Organ system toxicity (non-reproductive)

type of concern

product conditions

reference

Classified as a low human health priority

Environment Canada Domestic Substance List

Government, industry, academic studies and classifications
government/industry list/academic study	appears on list as	classification(s)
FDA Food Additive Status	XANTHAN GUM	• EMUL • REG • GMP • In foods which standards do not preclude use - CFR172.695 • FS • Food Dress - Part 169 • Cheeses and Rel Cheese Prods - Part 133 • 0.25% max use level liquid feeds for ruminants - In animal feeds (stabilizer • thickener • suspending agent) - CFR573.10
FDA Everything Added to Food	XANTHAN GUM	• ASP
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List	XANTHAN GUM	,,Low-Health Priority,U-Persistent,U-Bioaccumulative,,,,,
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List	XANTHAN GUM	reported as used in fragrance compounds in 2008

references
government/industry list/academic study	reference
FDA Food Additive Status	FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration) 2006. Food Additive Status List. Downloaded from http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/opa-appa.html, Oct 16, 2006.
FDA Everything Added to Food	FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration). 2008. EAFUS [Everything Added to Food]: A Food Additive Database. FDA Office of Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
Environment Canada Domestic Substance List	EC (Environment Canada). 2008. Domestic Substances List Categorization. Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA) Environmental Registry.
IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List	IFRA (International Fragrance Assocication). 2010. IFRA Fragrance Ingredient List based on 2008 Use Survey. Accessed online 01/04/2010: http://www.ifraorg.org/Home/News/Latest-News/page.aspx/66?xf_itemId=43&xf_selectionDatapartId=25