Side-by-Side Comparison
Food Additives & E-Numbers
E251: Sodium Nitrate (Chile Saltpeter / Slow Curing) vs. E415: Xanthan Gum (Pseudoplastic Hydrocolloid Thickener)
Comparing 2 standards across 16 specifications. 16 key differences identified.
Comparing:
E251: Sodium Nitrate (Chile Saltpeter / Slow Curing)
E415: Xanthan Gum (Pseudoplastic Hydrocolloid Thickener)
E251 (Sodium Nitrate / NaNO3) is an inorganic salt serving as a slow-release chemical reservoir of nitrite in long-aged cured meats and hard cheeses. INS 251, ADI is 3.7 mg/kg bw/day, enzymatically reduced into nitrite over months of curing.
Xanthan gum (E415) is a high-molecular-weight microbial exopolysaccharide produced by Xanthomonas campestris fermentation, renowned for extreme pseudoplastic shear-thinning rheology, freeze-thaw stability, and gluten-free dough structural binding.
Specification Comparison Table
16 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
E-Number Code
|
E251 | — |
|
INS / Codex Number
|
INS 251 | — |
|
Functional Class
|
Preservative, Curing Agent, Antimicrobial | — |
|
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)
|
3.7 mg / kg body weight per day (as nitrate ion) | — |
|
Chemical Formula
|
NaNO3 | — |
|
Primary Mechanism
|
Micrococcus and Staphylococcus bacterial nitrate reductase slowly converts nitrate (NO3-) into bioactive nitrite (NO2-) | — |
|
Common Target Foods
|
Prosciutto di Parma, dry-cured salamis, Gouda cheeses (prevents late blowing by Clostridium tyrobutyricum) | — |
|
Dietary Compliance
|
Mineral synthesis, Halal, Kosher, Vegan compliance | — |
|
Safety Approval
|
EFSA Authorized / FDA 9 CFR 424.21 | — |
|
INS / E-Number
|
— | INS 415 / E415 |
|
Polymer Structure
|
— | Cellulose β-(1,4)-D-glucan backbone with trisaccharide side chains (mannose-glucuronic acid-mannose) |
|
Molecular Weight
|
— | 2.0 × 10⁶ to 5.0 × 10⁶ Da (2–5 MDa) |
|
Rheological Behavior
|
— | Extreme Pseudoplasticity (Shear-thinning index n ≈ 0.15–0.25) |
|
Yield Stress
|
— | High at rest (suspends dense particulates like herbs in salad dressing permanently) |
|
Thermal Stability
|
— | Maintains constant viscosity from 0°C to 100°C across pH 2.0 to 12.0 |
|
Synergistic Gelation
|
— | Forms thermo-reversible firm gels when blended with Locust Bean Gum (E410) or Guar Gum (E412) |
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