XANTHAN GUM

[xan.than gum] n [xanth- (fr. NL Xanthomonas, genus name) + [3]-an] (1964): a polysaccharide that is produced by fermentation of carbohydrates by a gram-negative bacterium (Xanthomonas campestris of the family Pseudomonadaceae) and is a thickening and suspending agent used esp. in pharmaceuticals and prepared foods--called also xanthan