This is a Sunset Preliminary Review by a Subcommittee of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Sunset preliminary reviews are posted for 

public comment and the NOSB will refer to them to complete the sunset review process. They are not final Board recommendations or NOP policy. 

For more information, see the Sunset Review and Renewal Process fact sheet, and Federal Register notice of Sept. 16, 2013.

Sunset 2015 Review 

Meeting 2 - October, 2014

Handling Subcommittee Review

Gellan Gum

August 20, 2014

As part of the National List Sunset Review process, the NOSB Handling Subcommittee has evaluated the need for 

the continued allowance for or prohibition of the following substances for use in organic handling.

Gellan Gum Agricultural

Use - As a nonagricultural (nonorganic) substance allowed as ingredient in or on processed products

Listing: Gellan gum (CAS # 71010-52-1) - high acyl form only.

Technical Report: 2006

Petition(s): Gellan gum (2004) 

Past NOSB Actions: NOSB review and recommendation for addition to the National List - 04/22/08

Regulatory Background:

Proposed for addition to National List 6/3/09 (74 FR 26591) 

Added to National List 12/13/2010 (75 FR 77521) 

Sunset Date: 12/14/2015

Reference: 7 CFR 205.605(a)

Subcommittee Review

Summary:

Gellan gum is a polysaccharide gum produced as a fermentation product of the microbe Sphingomonas elodea. 

This bacterium produces a gum which is useful as a thickening and gelling agent in food products, including 

bakery fillings, confections, dairy products, dessert gels, frostings, icings, glazes, jams, etc. 

Gellan gum was petitioned for addition to 205.605(b) in 2004. In 2006, a technical evaluation report was 

completely for the Handling Committee. The committee recommended the addition to 205.205(b) in April, 

2007. However, detailed discussion among the board, the NOP and the petitioner at that meeting led to the 

conclusion that gellan gum is in fact non-synthetic, and accordingly should be added to 205.605(a). The 

Handling Committee made an updated recommendation in December 2007, and it was passed by the full NOSB 

at the April, 2008 meeting. 

The 2007 and 2008 discussions weighed heavily the question of whether gellan gum provided sufficiently 

unique properties other than those afforded by gums already listed on 205.606. Based on the petition, the 

2006 TAP review, and testimony from the petitioner and other stakeholder, the board concluded that gellan 

gum was in fact essential: 

The Board considered what constitutes “essential” for organic handling of a finished retail product and how 

that may be different from that of a material used in crop or livestock production. It was agreed that certain 

materials might be essential for creating a product that meets consumer expectations of taste or texture. A 

rev: August 2014
This is a Sunset Preliminary Review by a Subcommittee of the National Organic Standards Board (NOSB). Sunset preliminary reviews are posted for 

public comment and the NOSB will refer to them to complete the sunset review process. They are not final Board recommendations or NOP policy. 

For more information, see the Sunset Review and Renewal Process fact sheet, and Federal Register notice of Sept. 16, 2013.

number of commenters cited gellan gum would greatly enhance the organic consumer products they make for 

this reason. One commenter stated that gellan gum has unique functionality that is not offered by similarly 

produced gums that are currently allowed in organic handling. There were no public comments specifically 

opposing the listing of gellan gum on 205.605.

An extensive search of relevant medical and food science literature since 2007 shows no significant new data or 

findings that would impact the evaluation of this substance. We were unable to locate any relevant regulatory 

changes related to this ingredient among the world’s regulatory bodies.

The current listing is for: Gellan Gum – high acyl only

This is significant because low acyl gellan gum has been determined to be synthetic; only high acyl is nonsynthetic and should be listed on 605(a). 

At the Spring 2014 NOSB meeting, two commenters noted that low-acyl gellan gum should be on 605(b), not 

(a). We wish to clarify that low acyl gellan gum is synthetic and isn’t being considered in this recommendation. 

The existing listing and the sunset proposal is only for the high acyl gellan gum, which is non-synthetic. 

Numerous other commenters confirmed that the material remains essential in the production of non-dairy 

beverages and other foods. 

The 2007 and 2008 discussions also focused on the role of the isopropyl alcohol used to separate the finished 

gellan gum from the fermentation materials. According to the 2006 TR, the FDA limits the amount of isopropyl 

alcohol in the finished gellan gum to .075 %. Regardless, the presence of the isopropyl alcohol was 

acknowledged in the petition, TR and recommendation and factored into the evaluation of the material. 

Motion to Remove: 

This proposal to remove will be considered by the NOSB at its public meeting. 

Based on the Subcommittee’s review, the Subcommittee proposes removal of this substance from the National 

List based on the following criteria in the Organic Foods Production Act (OFPA) 7 U.S.C. 6158(m)(6) the 

alternatives to using the substance in terms of practices or other available materials; (7) its compatibility with a 

system of sustainable agriculture.

Subcommittee Review

The Handling Subcommittee believes that the full Board should have the opportunity to complete the review 

of each sunset material by voting. The NOP has stated that to do this a motion to remove should be brought 

from the Subcommittee for each substance. If the Subcommittee motion to remove fails to receive a 

majority, the motion will still be put forward to the full board for review. The motion to remove is voted by 

the full Board and needs to receive a 2/3 majority to recommend removal.

Motion to Remove Gellan gum from §205.605(a)

Motion by: Joe Dickson

Seconded: John Foster

Yes: 0 No: 6 Abstain: 0 Recuse: 0 Absent: 2

rev: August 2014