Emulsifiers and gums in food    

People have mentioned alleged harmful effects of consuming various gums and emulsifiers added to foods and other products. Let’s explore just how bad (or good) these gums and emulsifiers in food are for human health. This review contains an initial look, followed by literature searches for three major gums/emulsifiers and several others.

An initial look

A general Web search turned up an article by a registered dietician with these quotes:

“Many food gums and emulsifiers are naturally-derived, complex carbohydrates.” “a subset of them could actually have beneficial properties.” “Guar gum is classified as a soluble fiber. And like other fibers in this family, it’s been demonstrated to help regulate bowel movements, particularly among people with irritable bowel syndrome. In fact, it’s the star ingredient in a variety of fiber supplements marketed for precisely this purpose. It’s also been shown effective at helping to lower cholesterol and maintain blood sugar control.” “More recent animal studies also suggest guar gum has beneficial prebiotic and anti-inflammatory properties in the gut as well.” (Source: https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/eat-run/articles/are-gums-and-emulsifiers-in-foods-safe   “Are Gums and Emulsifiers in Foods Safe? Not all emulsifiers, a type of food additive, are created equal.”)

Yes, there are published papers showing anti-inflammatory properties. Yes, also on blood sugar control. Yes, clinical trials showing lowering of blood cholesterol in humans. Yes on this too: “Role of partially hydrolyzed guar gum in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome” (Nutrition 2006, Giannini et al).]]

“Xanthan gum has been studied in humans and animals for its potential role in helping reduce high blood sugar levels when consumed with a sugar or carbohydrate-containing meal.” (see also: Fuwa et al, Food Sci. Tech. Res 2016)

“Recent research has shown that many gums can also positively impact gut health by modulating the microbiome.” https://nutritionforlongevity.com/blogs/news/the-truth-about-gums-and-emulsifiers

“Lecithin is an emulsifier naturally found in eggs,,, contains an essential nutrient phosphatidylcholine (choline)” “Phosphatidylcholine is also a structural component of the protective lining of our gut mucous barrier. Very small studies among people with a type of inflammatory bowel disease called ulcerative colitis suggest a possible benefit from supplementing lecithin to help restore mucous barrier integrity and reduce inflammation, though larger trials are needed to provide further proof of concept.” Source: “Emerging treatments for ulcerative colitis: a systematic review”. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology. 2017, 52 (9): 923–931.  Also “Dietary Fermentable Fiber Reduces Intestinal Barrier Defects and Inflammation in Colitic Mice” (J. Nutrition, October 2016, Pages 1970-1979).

Many of the gums and emulsifiers are either natural products or derived from them. One of them contains an essential human nutrient, choline.

Opposing views.

Searching for opposing views turned up this statement from social media:

“Polysorbate 80. This chemical emulsifier suppresses the immune system and bypasses the blood brain barrier which can cause ANAPHYLACTIC SHOCK, ENCEPHALITIS and INFERTILITY.”

Here is one from WebMD: “Evidence links emulsifiers with upset gut microbiome, inflammation, and several conditions, from heart attacks to breast cancer.” Source: https://www.webmd.com/diet/news/20240412/emulsifiers-in-food-may-bring-health-dangers

So, which is it: Wonder drugs or dangerous chemicals or neither? Improving the gut microbiome or damaging it. Let’s find out. First, how prevalent are they? I searched our refrigerator and pantry for gums and emulsifiers and found NONE in Nancy’s or Trader Joe’s yoghurt, Best Foods olive oil mayonnaise, Trader Joe’s corn chips, chocolate bars, or soy milk, or any of our breads and breakfast cereals. However, a fancy upscale ice cream (Talenti’s) has carob bean gum and guar gum. Morningstar Farms veggie burger has xanthan gum and methyl cellulose (not carboxymethylcellulose). Brianna’s Honey Mustard salad dressing has xanthan gum. I was surprised that Best Foods olive oil mayo has no gums or emulsifiers. I found no Polysorbate 80 in anything we buy. We mostly eat whole produce, grains, nuts and occasional fish, so our exposure to processed foods and junk food is minimal.

Let’s look individually at some major types of emulsifiers found in food. Literature searches are via Google Scholar and PubMed. The US News article mentioned that three such substances have been shown to be pro-inflammatory in animal studies, but not yet in humans. Let’s take a deeper look at those first.

–A. Cellulose gum (carboxymethylcellulose). Carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) is made by reacting cellulose (such as cotton or wood pulp) with chloroacetic acid in alkali. This puts carboxymethyl groups (CH2COOH) on some of the sugar hydroxyls, which aids in water solubility. It has no odor or flavor and is added to various products as a thickener and emulsion stabilizer. It is considered non-toxic and hypoallergenic. It is used in textiles, toothpaste, pills, laxatives, paints, ice cream, mayonnaise, and extensively used in gluten-free and low-fat foods. It is used in eye drops to treat dry eye and is found in 25% of shampoos and 50% of cosmetics and 10% of sunscreens. Its use in baking reduces the need for fat and egg products. It is allowed in foods at concentrations up to 2% (LA Times 2/25/2015).

But is it toxic at concentrations of 2% or lower in food?

–1. Costa et al. in Polymers Basel 5/22/2023: CMC is an amphiphilic biopolymer usually used as a thickening agent. Other studies showed CMC caused gut inflammation by eroding the mucous layer and altering biota. Costa et al found that CMC increased inflammatory cytokines in a cell culture model at 25 mg/ml. Their study found no overt toxicity and no effect on cell layer integrity of healthy cells. They found that CMC increased inflammation in cells in the presence of pro-inflammatory conditions. “… while it did not exhibit systemic deleterious effects, it presented evidence of a pro-inflammatory effect upon the gut epithelia and lumen.”

[[Note: 25 mg/ml is a very high concentration, especially for cell culture. Sodium chloride at this concentration (428 millimolar) is almost 3X that of normal human blood.]] [[Note: Amphiphilic means the molecule has a polar side and a non-polar side, which allows it to emulsify, as in mixing oil and water. Amphiphilic chemicals naturally found in humans include cholesterol, bile acids, and phospholipids. Soaps and detergents are also amphiphilic.]]

–2. A review article by Martino et al., Front Pediatr. 2017; 5: 96. “Animal studies consistently report that carrageenan and CMC induce histopathological features that are typical of IBD while altering the microbiome, disrupting the intestinal epithelial barrier, inhibiting proteins that provide protection against microorganisms, and stimulating the elaboration of pro-inflammatory cytokines.” “Carrageenan and CMC may trigger or magnify an inflammatory response in the human intestine but are unlikely to be identified as the sole environmental factor involved in the development of IBD or in disease recurrence after treatment.”

“The only successful dietary interventions to have induced CD (Crohn’s disease) remission exclude processed foods containing carrageenan and CMC, further supporting the possibility that carrageenan and CMC are potential triggering or magnifying substances of inflammation in IBD.”

–3. Wikipedia article on carboxymethylcellulose quotes:

“CMC is a common ingredient in cleaning products because of its thickening and stabilizing properties and nontoxic composition.”

“CMC is an ingredient used in over 50% of cosmetic products. As a thickening agent, it is used in formulations where viscosity needs to be precisely controlled.”

“CMC powder is widely used in the ice cream industry, to make ice creams without churning or extremely low temperatures… CMC is used in baking breads and cakes… reduced cost by reducing the need for fat. CMC is also used as an emulsifier in biscuits…It can also help to reduce the amount of egg yolk or fat used in making the biscuits.”

Let’s look at more peer-reviewed studies with a search for “carboxymethylcellulose risk” at Google Scholar:

–4. “Cellulose as a Food Emulsifier: Are Its Days Numbered?” Costa et al. Polymers (Basel). 2023 May 22;15(10):2408. In cell culture studies, it increased inflammation and production of inflammatory cytokines, but was not cytotoxic at up to 25 mg/ml (2.5%).

[[Note: That intake level could not be met, even if someone ate only ice cream for every meal.]]

–5. “Dietary intake and risk of developing inflammatory bowel disease: a systematic review of the literature.” Hou et al. Am J Gastroenterol. 2011 Apr;106(4):563-73.

“Conclusions: High dietary intakes of total fats, PUFAs, omega-6 fatty acids, and meat were associated with an increased risk of CD and UC. High fiber and fruit intakes were associated with decreased CD risk, and high vegetable intake was associated with decreased UC risk.” (UC=ulcerative colitis; CD=Crohn’s disease) [[Take home message is eat less cows and more veggies.]]

–6. Nutrition in Pediatric Inflammatory Bowel Disease: From Etiology to Treatment. A Systematic Review.” Penagini et al. Nutrients. 2016 Jun 1;8(6):334.“With regards to etiology, there are pediatric data, mainly from case-control studies, which suggest that some dietary habits (for example consumption of animal protein, fatty foods, high sugar intake) may predispose patients to IBD onset.”

–7. “Dietary emulsifiers impact the mouse gut microbiota promoting colitis and metabolic syndrome.” Chassaing et al. Nature. 2015 Feb 25;519(7541):92–96.

“… it has been hypothesized that emulsifiers, detergent-like molecules that are a ubiquitous component of processed foods and that can increase bacterial translocation across epithelia in vitro, might be promoting the post-mid-20th century increase in IBD. Herein, we observed that, in mice, relatively low concentrations of two commonly used emulsifiers, namely carboxymethylcellulose and polysorbate-80, induced low-grade inflammation and obesity/metabolic syndrome in WT hosts and promoted robust colitis in mice predisposed to this disorder.” [[This was the only study found that used a (almost) reasonable dose of the test compounds, which was 1% in drinking water. It seems more sensible to my naïve mind that it should have been mixed with actual food, but oh well.]]

–8. “The Role of Carrageenan and Carboxymethylcellulose in the Development of Intestinal Inflammation.” Martino et al. Front. Pediatr., vol 5, 30 April 2017.

One hypothesis is “that food emulsifiers such as carrageenan may act as a conditional inflammatory agent that magnifies any existing chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract provoked by pathogens. This hypothesis explains why carrageenan has been found to induce intestinal inflammation in most animal studies, but not all.”

[[Again, unfortunately, cited studies used high concentrations of emulsifiers exceeding what would normally be encountered in a meal. Many other studies failed to list concentrations.]]

–9. “Randomized Controlled-Feeding Study of Dietary Emulsifier Carboxymethylcellulose Reveals Detrimental Impacts on the Gut Microbiota and Metabolome.” Chassaing et al.

Gastroenterology, 162(3), 2022, pp 743-756. A double-blind feeding study in healthy adults on emulsifier-free diets, with and without 15 g/da of CMC for 11 days.

“CMC consumption modestly increased postprandial abdominal discomfort and perturbed gut microbiota composition in a way that reduced its diversity. Moreover, CMC-fed subjects exhibited changes in the fecal metabolome, particularly reductions in short-chain fatty acids and free amino acids.”

[[RR Comment:  According to kimacellulose dot com, CMC is typically added to ice cream at 0.5%. Thus, a 15 gram per day feeding study is equivalent to eating three kilograms of ice cream per day (5.4 liters). Ren et al Int. J. Biol. Macromolecules, 257(2), Feb 2024, 128661, list an optimal percent CMC in yogurt at 0.7%. Thus, 15 g CMC is equivalent to eating 2.14 kilograms of yogurt. Who in the world eats over five liters of ice cream per day?! Anything in excess is bad. Two or three kilos of meat per day would be a disaster for heart disease and colon cancer.]]

–10. “Recent Developments of Carboxymethyl Cellulose.” Rahman et al. Polymers 2021, 13(8), 1345.

“A significant advantage of plant-based precursors is their high availability in different regions around the world. Compared to the commercial precursors of CMC (such as wood), they are more highly available in other areas of the world at a negligible cost, or sometimes even free of charge. For instance, Meenakshi et al. (2002) reported banana pseudo-stem (i.e., an agricultural waste) as a potential source of cellulose.”

“There are many auxiliary agents, for example, various polysaccharide (alginates, gums, agar, some pectin and galactomannans, modified starches, modified cellulose, CMC, etc.), hydrocolloids like soluble soybean polysaccharide (SSPS), sugar beet pectin (SBP), and xanthan gum powder that are used in the food industry as a binder, thickener, fixing agent, and emulsifier to make quality foods. CMC is frequently used in the food industry.”

“Dafe et al. (2017) developed CMC/k-carrageenan mixed food vehicle to supply probiotic-based food in the colon… controlled the gastrointestinal tract or mucosa’s health and improved the immune system.”

“High fats in the food (meat) are a significant barrier to making healthy food products… Han et al. (2017) designed high nutrition and lowest fat-based healthier meat products. During meat processing, CMC and other dietary fibers (such as cellulose, chitosan, inulin, pectin, etc.) are used as fat reducers, nutrition enhancers, and texture modifiers that help to reduce the chances of colon cancer, cardiovascular disease, etc.”

Several medical applications of CMC are being researched, including wound dressings, drug delivery, bone and soft tissue engineering, biosensing and imaging, and to stabilize drug formulations and increase shelf life.

conclusion: I wish someone would study these compounds at reasonable concentrations, for people who don’t consume 3 kilos of ice cream per day. In the meantime, I do not see a compelling need to worry about my minimal consumption of CMC, but I will not try to increase my consumption either.

—2. Carrageenans:  A family of poly sugars extracted from cultivated edible red algae, used primarily in dairy and meat products because of their binding to food proteins. Also used in toothpaste, shampoo, soy and other plant milks, infant formula, and vegetarian hot dogs. “The European Food Safety Authority stated, “there is no evidence of any adverse effects in humans from exposure to food-grade carrageenan, or that exposure to degraded carrageenan from use of food-grade carrageenan is occurring” and allows it up to a consumption level of 75mg/kg, which is 5.25 grams for a 70kg person. The FAO/WHO stated, “the use of carrageenan in infant formula or formula for special medical purposes at concentrations up to 1000 mg/L is not of concern.” The US National Organic Program approved its use in 2003 and 2008, but then removed it in 2016 because alternative materials such as gellan gum, guar gum and xanthan gum are available for organic products. (source: Wiki page for carrageenan).

Any bad findings?

In the first dozen references from a Google Scholar search for “carrageenan risk,” I found no significant smoking guns. Here are some quotes:

“Confusion over nomenclature, basic CGN chemistry, type of CGN tested, interspecies biology, and misinterpretation of both in vivo and in vitro data has resulted in the dissemination of incorrect information regarding the human safety of CGN. The issue is exacerbated when mechanistic data obtained from in vitro experiments are directly translated to human hazard and used for risk assessment. This can lead to information that is taken out of experimental context and reported as a definitive effect in humans.” (Critical Reviews in Toxicology Vol 44, 2014 – Issue 3, McKim et al.)

Animal studies at >1000mg/kg showed no carcinogenic, genotoxic, immunotoxic or reproductive effects.

Compare >1000mg/kg to the estimated ave. human consumption of 18-40 mg/kg.

–11. Martino et al. (Front Pediatr. 2017; 5: 96) referred to another study and stated: “Taken together, these animal studies have led to the hypothesis that food emulsifiers such as carrageenan may act as a conditional inflammatory agent that magnifies any existing chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract provoked by pathogens… the hypothesis that an interaction effect is present in which carrageenan serves as a pro-inflammatory agent to amplify existing intestinal inflammation.”

–12. Weiner et al., Crit. Rev. Tox. 44(3), 2014) “Many toxicological studies on carrageenan have involved administration at doses in excess of today’s standards for dietary feeding levels in bioassays, and they are orders of magnitude in excess of those to which humans are exposed.” “CGN is not significantly absorbed or metabolized. CGN also does not significantly affect the absorption of nutrients. Subchronic and chronic feeding studies in rodents indicate that CGN at doses up to 5% in the diet does not induce any toxicological effects other than soft stools or diarrhea, which are a common effect for non-digestible high molecular weight compounds. Review of several studies from numerous species indicates that food grade CGN does not produce intestinal ulceration at doses up to 5% in the diet.”

–13. However, Watt and Marcus (Gut 2/12/1971) fed carrageenan at 5% in drinking water for 20 to 45 days and found intestinal lesions. [[Comparing with an average human water intake of around a liter per day… 5% by weight of one liter equals 50 grams carrageenan per day. That carrageenan dose is equivalent to 10 kg of ice cream (22 pounds or 18 liters). A “new winner” for over-dosing. Burp!]]

–14. Cohen and Ito, Crit. Rev Tox. 32(5) 2002) “Carrageenan is not degraded to any extent in the gastrointestinal tract and is not absorbed from it in species examined, such as rodents, dogs, and non-human primates. Systemically administered carrageenan has been reported to have a variety of effects, particularly on the immune system, but these are not pertinent to orally administered carrageenan.”

“… no adverse effects have been detected in chronic toxicity studies with carrageenan in rats up to 7,500 mg/kg bw per day, the highest dose tested; there was no concern with respect to the carcinogenicity of carrageenan.” (Younes et al, Eur. Food Safety Authority, 16(4) 2018)

By direct interspecies scaling, that would be 1.2 pounds CGN/day for a human.

Question:  What about claims that carrageenan is related to cancer? Helping or hurting?

The website Healthline states, “Carrageenan is a common food additive but it may cause digestive side effects and has a potential link to colon cancer. While more research is needed, you may want to remove it from your diet.” (Healthline 3/16/2023) Also IARC listed degraded carrageenan as having carcinogenic risk to humans in 1982 (Environ. Health Persp. 1 Oct 2001).

[[Note: Healthline is not a peer-reviewed journal, but rather a lay audience health website.]]

The first three studies that come up on Google Scholar on a search for “carrageenan cancer” tout its anti-cancer effects:

–15. “Anti-Cancer Activity of Porphyran and Carrageenan from Red Seaweeds,” Liu et al., Molecules 2019, 24(23), 4286.  “The two polysaccharides (Porphyran and carrageenan) have been found to have anti-cancer activity by improving immunity and targeting key apoptotic molecules and therefore deemed as potential chemotherapeutic or chemopreventive agents. This paper reviewed the current study of anti-cancer activity and the possible mechanisms of porphyran and carrageenan derived from red seaweeds to various cancers, and their cooperative actions with other anti-cancer chemotherapeutic agents is also discussed. Porphyran is a sulfated polysaccharide obtained from red algae. “Epidemiological studies have shown that a seaweed-rich diet reduces the incidence of obesity, cancer, and heart and cerebrovascular diseases.” “The selective cytotoxic effects of carrageenans on cancer cells have been demonstrated in several investigations. Such studies have shown that concentrations of 250–2500 μg/mL of both κ-carrageenan and λ-carrageenan inhibited human cervical carcinoma cells.” “Several in vitro and in vivo studies have demonstrated that porphyrans and carrageenans have strong anti-cancer properties.”

I’m not surprised that Healthline’s recommendations conflict with peer-reviewed studies.

–16. “Antitumor and Adjuvant Activity of λ-carrageenan by Stimulating Immune Response in Cancer Immunotherapy,” Min Luo et al., Scientific Reports vol 5, 11062 (2015), “In this study, we found that intratumoral injection of λ-carrageenan (50mg/kg) could inhibit tumor growth in B16-F10 and 4T1 bearing mice and enhance tumor immune response.”

“Thus, λ-carrageenan might be used both as a potent antitumor agent and an efficient adjuvant in cancer immunotherapy.”

–17. “Carrageenan delays cell cycle progression in human cancer cells in vitro demonstrated by FUCCI imaging,” BMC Compl. Alt. Med. 4 Aug 2016. “Carrageenan 250-2500 ug/ml in vitro) had no significant effect on HUVEC (normal cells). In contrast both forms of carrageenan were cytotoxic towards HeLa cells (cancer cells).”

–17.5. (Not a peer-reviewed paper) The “Tom’s of Maine” toothpaste website states:

“Carrageenan is a natural material obtained from an edible species of red seaweed. The seaweed is rinsed and filtered and then cooked with isopropyl alcohol to separate the carrageenan. The carrageenan is dried, chopped, and milled. Carrageenan serves as a naturally derived binding ingredient used in body wash, toothpaste, and hand soap.”

Conclusions about CGN:  Various studies claim that carrageenan either promotes health or damages it. Anything is toxic in monstrous amounts, but even high doses CGN have been found safe. Beware of people wanting to transfer in vitro studies of cells in test tubes to intact humans, especially at monstrous amounts, regardless of whether they are claiming that it either cures or causes cancer. It is easy to kill cancer cells in culture with table salt or even a hammer, but that doesn’t mean that salt or a hammer will cure cancer in a human.

–3. Polysorbate 80. Allowed in some foods at up to 1% (LA Times, 2/25/2015)

—What it is:  A surfactant made from polyethoxylated sorbitan and oleic acid and also known as Tween 80.

—What it’s used for: Used as an emulsifier in soaps, cosmetics, and eye drops, a stabilizer in some drugs, and a solubilizer in mouthwash, and was used in some non-mRNA Covid vaccines. Prevents proteins from adhering to oil droplets, thus helping melting ice cream hold its shape. Used in pharmaceuticals as a solubilizer.

–Health effects:  Search Google Scholar for “polysorbate 80 health effects.”

–18. Advances in Therapy, vol 35, pages 754–767, (2018). A paper about use in cancer treatment modalities. Commonly used in formulations of foods, cosmetics, and drugs as a solubilizer, stabilizer, or emulsifier. Rapidly eliminated with a serum half-life of one hour. Various hypersensitivity effects, but this is via injection of gram quantities in chemotherapy.

–19. Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, 95(6) Dec 2005, pp 593-599.

“Tween 80 is a solubilizing agent ubiquitously used in nutritives, creams, ointments, lotions, and multiple medical preparations (e.g. vitamin oils, vaccines, and anticancer agents) and as an additive in tablets.” A skin test in a patient with a history of anaphylaxis was positive. [[no  surprise.]]

–20. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 414(1) Mar 2021, 115411.

[[PS80 increased absorption of phthalates, which should be expected when using a surfactant. Dose was not given in their abstract.]]

–21. ESFA Journal (European food safety on food additives). 17 July 2015

“The Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)/World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) derived an Acceptable Daily Intake (ADI) of 25 mg/kg body weight (bw)/day (group ADI for polysorbates 20, 40, 60, 65 and 80) and the Scientific Committee on Food (SCF) derived a group ADI of 10 mg/kg bw/day. Small amounts of polyoxyethylene sorbitans are absorbed. Similar toxicokinetics would be expected for all polysorbates based on their similarities in structure and metabolic fate. The acute toxicity is very low. There is no concern regarding genotoxicity, carcinogenicity or developmental toxicity. From a limited number of studies, there is no indication of reproductive toxicity.”

Those limits were derived by using a 100-fold lower dose safety margin compared to their no observable effect experimental dose.

Using the two figures of 10 and 25 mg/kg/da, a 70 kg person would have limits of 0.7 and 1.75 grams. Translating that safety guideline to ice cream at 0.5%, the limit would be approximately 5 to 12 ounces of ice cream per day.

–22. Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, Vol 119, July 2024, pp 171-187. PS80 is claimed to have caused inflammation and alteration of gut microbiome in mice. [[No dosages were given, even in the extended abstract!]]

Now search for “polysorbate 80 toxicity” and “polysorbate 80 food toxicity humans.”

–23. Allergy, 02 August 2023. Study from Switzerland, Turkey, & USA.

In vitro cell assays, not whole animals.

“Even at concentrations lower than 0.1%, these polysorbates induced a proinflammatory response suggesting a detrimental effect on gastrointestinal health.”

–24. Reproductive Toxicology, 25(1) Jan 2008, pp 89-99. A spectrum of doses of PS80 were given in drinking water to pregnant rats. Offspring were monitored.

“No compound-related changes were found in developmental landmarks, sexual maturation, or reflex responses.” [[The only effect they found was lowered weight in offspring, which is ironic because other papers claimed that PS80 could cause obesity.]]

“The NOAEL (no observable adverse effects limit) in this study was considered to be 1.0 %,” (in drinking water).

One last paper; time to wrap this up this compound…

–25. “Dietary exposures for the safety assessment of seven emulsifiers commonly added to foods in the United States and implications for safety.” Shah et al. Food Additives & Contam. Part A Vol 34, 2017, Issue 6. “Dietary exposure estimates are compared with safe intake levels, such as the acceptable daily intake (ADI).”

“… the current investigation focused on the estimation of dietary exposure to seven emulsifiers: CMC, P80, lecithin, mono- and diglycerides (MDGs), stearoyl lactylates, sucrose esters, and polyglycerol polyricinoleate… Using maximum-use levels obtained from publicly available sources, dietary exposures to these emulsifiers were estimated for the US population.”

“Our analyses indicated that among the emulsifiers assessed, lecithin and MDGs (mono and di-glycerides) have the highest mean exposures at about 60 and about 80 mg kg/bw/da.”

“CMC is half to one-third that of lecithin or MDGs; and the exposure to PS80 is approximately half that of CMC.”

“The review of available safety information such as ADIs established by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), in light of our updated dietary exposure estimates for these seven emulsifiers, did not raise safety concerns at the current specified levels of use. Additionally, by examining two time periods (1999–2002, 2003–10), it was concluded that there is no evidence that exposure levels to emulsifiers have substantially increased.

Thus, by those findings, real-world intakes of carboxymethylcellulose and PS80 are about 23 and 12 mg/kg/da, which for a 70 kg person is 1.6 and 0.8 grams per day.

Again, converting to 0.5% in ice cream, this would be equivalent to 11.5 and 5.8 ounces of ice cream, although people are not just getting it from ice cream.

Of course, there were scary Internet articles, including a warning that the Novavax Covid vaccine contained polysorbate 80 as an emulsifier, which stated, “Vaccines Dirty Little Secret!! Polysorbate 80. This chemical emulsifier suppresses the immune system and bypasses the blood brain barrier, which can cause anaphylactic shock, encephalitis and infertility.”

However, a search of the scientific literature showed that to be totally bogus. Each Novavax shot contains only 50 millionths of a gram polysorbate 80. PS80 is approved by the FDA at concentrations up to one-half percent in ice cream. Thus, a one-cup serving of ice cream at 0.5% contains the same amount of PS80 as 14,000 Novavax Covid shots.

The math:  0.005 X 140 grams ice cream (about a five-ounce serving, density 0.55), converted to micrograms, equals 700,000 micrograms PS80. 700,000 ug divided by 50 ug per injection = 14,000 Covid shots. Even the 62-yr-old man from Marburg, Germany who received 217 Covid shots would find that an impossible task.

Conclusion for PS80:  This emulsifier might be less innocuous, but it’s a pity that many papers did not list actual doses required for deleterious effects in their abstracts. The European Food Safety Authority finds it safe.

-4. Other gums. Let’s get comprehensive. (quotes are from Wiki unless otherwise stated):

Guar Gum: “Guar gum, also called guaran, is a galactomannan polysaccharide extracted from guar beans that has thickening and stabilizing properties useful in food, feed, and industrial applications. The guar seeds are mechanically dehusked, hydrated, milled and screened according to application.” “an exo-polysaccharide composed of the sugars galactose and mannose” “Either borax or calcium can cross-link guar gum, causing it to gel.”

Used in baked goods to improve yield and texture, to thicken diary products, to improve stability in condiments, and to thicken soups.

“Several studies have found it decreases cholesterol levels. These decreases are thought to be a function of its high soluble fiber content.” “can help to provide satiety or slow the digestion of a meal, thus lowering the glycemic index of that meal.”
The European Food Safety Authority (06 May 2024) reported, “there is no safety concern for the general population at the refined exposure assessment for the reported uses of guar gum (E 412) as a food additive.”

Xanthan Gum: “Xanthan gum is produced by the fermentation of glucose and sucrose.” “It is composed of pentasaccharide repeat units, comprising glucose, mannose, and glucuronic acid in the molar ratio 2:2:1.” “A strain of X. campestris that will grow on lactose has been developed – which allows it to be used to process whey, a waste product of cheese production. This can produce 30 g/L of xanthan gum for every 40 g/L of whey powder. Whey-derived xanthan gum is commonly used in many commercial products, such as shampoos and salad dressings.”

“Xanthan gum is a polysaccharide… thickening agent and stabilizer that prevents ingredients from separating. It can be produced from simple sugars by fermentation and derives its name from the species of bacteria used, Xanthomonas campestris.” “It was approved for use in foods in 1968 and is accepted as a safe food additive in the US, Canada, European countries, and many other countries.” “An emulsion can be formed with as little as 0.1% (by weight). Increasing the concentration of gum gives a thicker, more stable emulsion up to 1% xanthan gum.”

“Safety. According to a 2017 safety review by a scientific panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), xanthan gum is extensively digested during intestinal fermentation, and causes no adverse effects, even at high intake amounts. The EFSA panel found no concern about genotoxicity from long-term consumption. The EFSA concluded that there is no safety concern for the general population when xanthan gum is consumed as a food additive.”

Let’s quote another source, the Tom’s of Maine toothpaste webpage, “Safe and Hardworking Natural Ingredients.”

“The production of xanthan gum involves a multi-step microorganism introduction preparation, followed by fermentation in large stainless steel tanks. After fermentation is complete, the broth is pasteurized to kill the organisms before the product is recovered. Typically, xanthan gum is recovered from the fermentation broth by alcohol precipitation. The alcohol is then removed, and the resulting product dried, milled, tested, and packaged… There are no known risks associated with xanthan gum as it is used in our products.” “Xanthan gum… functions as a stabilizer, emulsifier, thickener, and suspending agent. It can often be found in salad dressings and sauces. In oral and personal care products it functions much the same way, and is used as a thickener and stabilizer.”

Carob bean gum (also called locust bean gum): “a galactomannan vegetable gum extracted from the seeds of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) and used as a thickening agent (gelling agent) in food technology.” “… carob powder is produced from the fruit pod after removal of seeds, while the gum is produced from the seeds themselves.” “The bean, when made into powder, is sweet—with a flavor similar to chocolate—and is used to sweeten foods and as a chocolate substitute, although this carob powder is produced from the fruit pod after removal of seeds, while the gum is produced from the seeds themselves.”

A Google Scholar search did not yield toxicity concerns.

Meunier et al (Regulatory Toxicology and Pharmacology, 70(1) Oct 2014, pp 155-169) state,

“A standard therapeutic level of 0.5 g/100 mL in thickened infant formula is shown to confer a sufficiently protective Margin of Safety. LBG was not associated with any adverse toxic or nutritional effects in healthy term infants”

The European Panel on Food Additives re-evaluated all their listed food additives and reported on carob bean gum (20 Jan 2017), “there is no safety concern for the general population at the refined exposure assessment for its reported uses as a food additive.”

Gellan gum: “water-soluble anionic polysaccharide produced by the bacterium Sphingomonas elodea… discovered and isolated… in 1978 from the lily plant tissue from a natural pond in Pennsylvania. It was initially identified as a gelling agent to replace agar at significantly lower concentrations in solid culture media for the growth of various microorganisms.”

“… approved for food, non-food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical uses by many other countries such as US, Canada, China, Korea and the European Union etc. It is widely used as a thickener, emulsifier, and stabilizer… It is used as the gelling agent, as an alternative to gelatin, in the manufacture of vegan varieties of “gum” candies.”

“Flax milk containing gellan gum: It is used in plant-based milks to keep plant protein suspended in the milk. Gellan has also become popular in haute cuisine… to make flavorful gels”

A search of Google Scholar did not yield concerns about toxicity.

The European Food Safety Authority journal (20 June 2018) reported no safety concerns and concluded that no particular safety limit in food was required. Chronic rat feeding studies at 3,627 mg/kg/da showed no adverse effects. [[0.56 pounds gellan gum per day for a 70 kg human, equivalent to 112 pounds ice cream per day, and it was still safe!]] Repeated oral intake up to 200 mg/kg bw per day (14 grams/day) for 3 weeks had no adverse effects in humans. (Original study is Anderson et al. Food Additives & Contaminants 5(3) 1988, pp 237-249)

Gum tragacanth: “Tragacanth is a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes of the genus Astragalus.” “Gum tragacanth is a viscous, odorless, tasteless, water-soluble mixture of polysaccharides obtained from sap that is drained from the root of the plant and dried.” “It is common in Indian cuisine as “Goond Kateera”… “Goond” means “glue” or “tree sap” in Hindi, so that would mean “tree sap of Kateera.” A common dish that uses it is the Jammu and Kashmir.” “In European patisserie, gum is mixed with fine sugar and colorants to make gum paste, used to make edible decorations.”

“Gum tragacanth has drawn much attention due to its being renewable, accessible, reasonably affordable, non-allergenic, non-carcinogenic, non-toxic, and eco-friendly nature.”

The European Food Safety EFSA journal (09 June 2017) reported that “there is no safety concern for the general population at the refined exposure assessment of tragacanth (E 413) as a food additive at the reported uses and use levels” and that a daily intake of ten grams per day for 21 days was well tolerated in humans.

Gum Acacia:  Used in Tom’s of Maine toothpaste. Their website states, “Acacia Senegal gum is a naturally-occurring, renewable resource. Hardened sap is harvested from the bark of acacia trees, and then milled into a powder form.” Gum acacia is also known as gum arabic.

From Wiki: “Gum arabic is a rich source of dietary fibers… and it also possesses a broad range of health benefits that have been evidently proved through several in vitro and in vivo studies.”

It is a prebiotic, because rather than being digested in the stomach, it is fermented in the large bowel to beneficial short chain fatty acids, which are produced by beneficial gut microbes.

Health benefits include improved absorption of calcium, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, lowers cholesterol (and LDL and triglycerides), antioxidant activity, beneficial to immune function, “improving the intestinal barrier function, preventing colon cancer, and alleviating symptoms of irritable bowel diseases.” [[Wow, sounds like quite a “wonder drug” or “super food.” Maybe I could sell it online. Oops, too late. BulkSupplements.com already sells it. By the way, Healthline.com touts its benefits as a supplement for diabetics. YMMV, your mileage may vary.]]

Methyl cellulose: Cellulose is a linear polymer of glucose. Methyl cellulose is the simplest derivative and its OH-groups at carbons 2, 3, and/or 6 have a methyl group instead of a hydrogen. Quoting Nasatto et al. Polymers 2015, 7(5), 777-803, “Methylcellulose is usually synthesized by etherification of cellulose (reaction between cellulose, alkali and chloromethane or iodomethane).”

Quoting Wiki, “Like cellulose, it is not digestible, non-toxic, and not an allergen.” Used in food such as ice cream as a thickener and emulsifier; used in synthetic meats to improve texture;

It is used in shampoos to make thick lather… Methyl cellulose may be used in personal [[sexual]] lubricant.” “Methyl cellulose is used in the manufacture of drug capsules; its edible and nontoxic properties provide a vegetarian alternative to the use of gelatin.” “Methyl cellulose is used to treat constipation and is classified as a bulk forming laxative… It is available over the counter. It is sold under the brand name Citrucel among others” “In 2022, it was the 388th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 9,000 prescriptions.”

Overall Conclusions on Gums and Emulsifiers:  Painting gums and emulsifiers with a broad brush is not supported by research. The fact that some of them have beneficial effects and are actually used to treat disease was an eye-opener. Some of the literature used unreasonably high doses. Even water is toxic at a high enough dose (6 liters in three hours has killed a person). I’m reminded of the fictitious study title, “Rats force-fed half their body weight in pickles developed swollen abdomens.” Beware of studies touting changes in gut microbiota, unless they specify exactly how and why those changes are detrimental. Even merely increasing or decreasing the amount of salt you eat will alter your gut microbiome.

I won’t be adding gums and emulsifiers on purpose to “supplement” my largely whole food diet, but I won’t worry about an occasional ice cream cone either. All in all, I feel more comfortable with many of these products, especially some natural gums, which could have beneficial properties. PS80 and perhaps carboxymethylcellulose could be different, although I have no worries about the miniscule amounts in some medicines. However, for people consuming inflammatory diets (high meat, trans fat, saturated fat, and processed foods) some emulsifiers might “add insult to injury.”