E418 - Gellan gum

At a glance

• What it is: a fermented, plant-based gum used to gel, thicken, and stabilize foods
• What it does: sets gels, suspends particles in drinks, and prevents separation
• Where it shows up: beverages (including plant-based milks), desserts, sauces, jams, and confectionery
• Dietary notes: vegan-friendly and not animal-derived
• Label names: E418, gellan gum
• Texture range: from brittle, clear gels to soft, elastic ones, depending on the grade and recipe

Why is Gellan gum added to food?

Gellan gum is added to control texture. It can form clear, heat-stable gels and also helps keep particles—like cocoa or fruit pulp—suspended in drinks so they don’t settle. In the presence of minerals such as calcium, gellan gels set reliably and hold their shape, which is useful in desserts and dairy or plant-based products.¹

What foods contain Gellan gum?

You’ll most often see gellan gum in flavored drinks, shelf-stable chocolate milk, plant-based milks, fruit beverages, jams and jellies, sauces, confectionery, and ready-to-eat desserts. In the European Union (EU), E418 is authorized across many food categories under the general food additives regulation, and its use levels are assessed for safety.²

What can replace Gellan gum?

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all swap, but common stand-ins include:

• For firm gels: agar or carrageenan
• For creamy thickness and stability: xanthan gum or guar gum
• For fruity gels and jams: pectins
• For gel synergy in dairy-style textures: locust bean gum with carrageenan or gellan

Each alternative has its own setting conditions and mouthfeel. Recipes may need adjustment to match gellan’s clarity, snap, or suspension ability.

How is Gellan gum made?

Gellan gum is produced by fermenting a food-grade microorganism (Sphingomonas elodea), then isolating and purifying the polysaccharide from the fermentation broth. The final product is dried and milled into a powder that dissolves in water and sets on cooling, especially in the presence of certain minerals.³ Two main forms exist: “high‑acyl” gellan (gives softer, more elastic gels) and “low‑acyl” gellan (gives firmer, more brittle gels). The low‑acyl form can be obtained by controlled deacylation during processing, which is covered by official specifications.³

Is Gellan gum safe to eat?

Regulators have evaluated gellan gum several times. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re‑assessed E418 and concluded there is no safety concern for its current authorized uses and levels in foods.² The Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) assigned an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) “not specified,” which is used for additives with very low toxicity when used as intended.¹ In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lists gellan gum as a permitted food additive.⁴

EFSA is the European Food Safety Authority, FDA is the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, and JECFA is the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives.

Does Gellan gum have any benefits?

From a food-technology point of view, gellan gum:

• Creates clear gels and helps suspend particles in beverages without adding much taste
• Works at low use levels, which helps keep flavors clean
• Supports plant-based and reduced-sugar recipes by adding body and stability

For consumers, that can mean drinks that don’t separate on the shelf and desserts with a consistent, pleasant texture.

Who should avoid Gellan gum?

Most people can consume gellan gum without issues when it’s used as intended. If you’re on a physician-directed diet that restricts thickeners or fiber-like ingredients, or you’ve had past sensitivity to hydrocolloids (gum-based thickeners), ask a healthcare professional. As with any additive, if a product doesn’t agree with you, choose alternatives that use a different thickener.

Myths & facts

• Myth: Gellan gum is the same as gelatin.
  Fact: It’s vegan and made by fermentation, not from animal collagen.
• Myth: It always makes rubbery gels.
  Fact: Texture depends on the grade (high- vs. low‑acyl), minerals, and recipe.
• Myth: It only works in desserts.
  Fact: It’s widely used in beverages to keep cocoa or fruit evenly suspended.

Gellan gum in branded foods

You can find E418 in:

• Shelf-stable chocolate milk and cocoa drinks
• Plant-based milks and creamers
• Fruit juices and flavored waters with pulp or added calcium
• Spoonable and gelled desserts
• Sauces, glazes, and confectionery fillings

Check the ingredient list for “gellan gum” or “E418.”

References

Footnotes

1. Gellan Gum — JECFA (WHO/FAO). http://www.inchem.org/documents/jecfa/jecmono/v28je16.htm ↩ ↩²

2. Re‑evaluation of gellan gum (E 418) as a food additive — European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/efsajournal/pub/5366 ↩ ↩²

3. Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 laying down specifications for food additives listed in Annexes II and III to Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 — EUR-Lex. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:32012R0231 ↩ ↩²

4. Food Additive Status List — U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). https://www.fda.gov/food/food-additives-petitions/food-additive-status-list ↩