E415 — Xanthan gum

Xanthan gum: a thickener and stabiliser made by fermenting sugars with the bacterium Xanthomonas campestris. EFSA's 2017 re-evaluation found no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake and no safety concern for the general population; it is not absorbed intact and is fermented by gut bacteria. Large amounts (10–15 g a day in human studies) act as a bulk laxative and can cause flatulence or abdominal discomfort, which EFSA judged undesirable but not adverse.