COMMISSION REGULATION (EU) No 231/2012 of 9 March 2012
Synonyms
Definition
Gellan gum is a high molecular weight polysaccharide gum produced by a pure culture fermentation of a carbohydrate by strains of Pseudomonas elodea, purified by recovery with propan-2-ol or ethanol, dried, and milled. The high molecular weight polysaccharide is principally composed of a tetrasaccharide repeating unit of one rhamnose, one glucuronic acid, and two glucoses, and substituted with acyl (glyceryl and acetyl) groups as the O-glycosidically linked esters. The glucuronic acid is neutralised to a mixed potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium salt
Einecs: 275-117-5
Chemical name:
Chemical formula:
Molecular weight: Approximately 500 000
Assay: Yields, on the dried basis, not less than 3,3 % and not more than 6,8 % of CO 2
Description
An off-white powder
Identification
Solubility: Soluble in water, forming a viscous solution. Insoluble in ethanol
Purity
Loss on drying: Not more than 15 % after drying (105 °C, 2,5 hours)
Nitrogen: Not more than 3 %
Propan-2-ol: Not more than 750 mg/kg
Arsenic: Not more than 3 mg/kg
Lead: Not more than 2 mg/kg
Mercury: Not more than 1 mg/kg
Cadmium: Not more than 1 mg/kg
Microbiological criteria
Total plate count: Not more than 10 000 colonies per gram
Yeast and moulds: Not more than 400 colonies per gram
Escherichia coli: Negative in 5 g
Salmonella spp.: Negative in 10 g