Gellan Gum is a substance that is found naturally and is used as a stabilizing agent in a variety of food and beverage products. It is produced by bacterial fermentation, in which the cells transform nutrients found in food into larger molecules. The resulting gum is collected, dried and crushed into a powder. Stabiliser is gluten-free and vegan, and can make products appear like non-vegan versions. Its properties are dependent on the amount of acylation and the presence of counter-ions.
Gellan Gum is a thickening agent used in a variety of immobilization matrices. The gelling property makes it useful in food and cosmetic industries. It is also used in tissue engineering and pharmaceuticals. In cosmetics, it is used as a substitute for agar. In the pharmaceutical industry, gellan gum is used as an anti-settling agent. It is a versatile gelling agent that is used to prevent product separation. The effects of Gellan Gum on human health have not been clearly established, however, a recent study in ICR mice showed that it can induce micronuclei in these cells. This study also demonstrated that stabiliser can be consumed in large quantities without adverse dietary or physiological effects. However, this study is not the first to test stabiliser in humans, and more research is needed to determine whether it can cause adverse reactions. Regardless of the safety of gellan gum, its use should be restricted. The composition of Gellan Gum has varied. According to Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012, the product contains E 418. It also contains other substances such as acetyl and propionyl. The acyl substituents present in the gellan gum interfere with the aggregation process. Besides this, the presence of counter-ions alters the gelling properties of the product. Its properties depend on its composition, ion concentration, and acylation levels. The safety of Gellan Gum has been studied in rats. In one study, it was shown to induce micronuclei in polychromatic erythrocytes of ICR mice. The stabiliser dose of 2.5% was associated with reduced body weight in rats, while its dose of 3.8% did not have an adverse effect. The stabiliser doses did not affect the rate of pregnancy or corpora lutea in rats. Nevertheless, the SCF has not ruled out the consumption of gellan gum in humans. In 1990, it was evaluated for its safety and assigned an ADI of 'not specified'. It is a gelling agent that acts as a thickening agent and stabilizer. Although the EFSA evaluation did not address the specific dietary uses of stabiliser, it noted the presence of viable Pseudomonas elodea. The Panel on Food Additives assessed the safety of Gellan Gum in 1990 and assigned an ADI of 'not specified'. The panel noted that stabiliser is not likely to get absorbed intact and the human intestinal microbiota wouldn’t ferment it. Moreover, there are no known genotoxicity or carcinogenicity concerns associated with gellan gum. Therefore, the Panel recommends that gellan gum be banned. However, the Panel also considered the uncertainties associated with gellan gum (E 418) as a food additive. The exposure assessment scenarios were based on two sets of data, namely, the total intake of Gellan Gum in seven categories of food and beverages and the use of stabiliser in those categories. Due to these uncertainties, gellan gum (E 418) may not be considered safe in all food categories. And this is also not true for gellan gum in children.
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