I've been exploring information on grain-free diets for another
project and noticed the common ingredient of Xanthan Gum in a great many of the recipes. Of all the ingredients, this is the only one showing up time and again that I don't know how to home process. That started me on a mini quest. A quest I still haven't found a satisfactory
answer to. Is it even possible to home process it?
So far, my research seems to imply yes, but that no one does. According to what I have read, the source of Xanthan Gum is from the disease of Blackspot (The microorganism of Xanthomonas campestris). This is found on the plants of the cabbage family. To cultivate it, they ferment it on a blend of sugars. After fermentation, the fermented mixture is pasteurized, filtered, centrifuged, dried and milled.
To my thinking, there doesn't seem to be any reason one couldn't do this at home (minus the centrifuge), but I assume it must be difficult on some level or it would have been done already. Then again, maybe someone has and it just isn't out there on the net yet. Does anyone have
experience here? Any bit of knowledge would probably be helpful. Is it even possible or is there something about it I am missing?
This has been the most helpful document so far. A bit clinical, but at least some relevant data and images.
http://www.jpsscientificpublications.com/jpsadmin/uploads/attachments/c4a536b7ab6669142a99a75d2e9b187f.pdf
I feel like if I can crack this nut, it would be of massive value to all the grain-free folks who like knowing how to do something if their source ever dries up or who prefer not to use anything that was shipped more than a hundred miles from where it was produced. If nothing else, it will sate my own curiosity.
