Side-by-Side Comparison
Food Additives & E-Numbers
E415: Xanthan Gum (Pseudoplastic Hydrocolloid Thickener) vs. E951: Aspartame (Dipeptide Sweetener / 200x)
Comparing 2 standards across 17 specifications. 17 key differences identified.
Comparing:
E415: Xanthan Gum (Pseudoplastic Hydrocolloid Thickener)
E951: Aspartame (Dipeptide Sweetener / 200x)
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.
E951 (Aspartame) is a methyl ester of the aspartic acid/phenylalanine dipeptide yielding ~200x the sweetness of sucrose. INS 951, ADI is 40 mg/kg bw/day, the historic sweetener in Diet Coke and tabletop sweetener packets.
Specification Comparison Table
17 Parameters| Parameter / Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
|
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) | — |
|
E-Number Code
|
— | E951 |
|
INS / Codex Number
|
— | INS 951 |
|
Functional Class
|
— | High-Intensity Artificial Sweetener |
|
Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI)
|
— | 40 mg / kg body weight per day (US FDA: 50 mg/kg) |
|
Relative Sweetness Index
|
— | 200x Sucrose |
|
Caloric Value
|
— | 4.0 kcal / g (Negligible at use levels / ~0.1 kcal per serving) kcal/g |
|
Primary Mechanism
|
— | Stimulates T1R2/T1R3 sweet taste receptors with clean, sugar-like taste profile |
|
Common Target Foods
|
— | Diet sodas, tabletop sweetener packets (Equal), sugar-free gelatin desserts, drink mixes |
|
Dietary Compliance
|
— | Vegetarian, Halal, Kosher, Contains Phenylalanine (Warning for PKU patients mandatory) |
|
Safety Approval
|
— | EFSA Authorized / FDA Approved (21 CFR 172.804) |
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