Patent ID: 7816515

Claim:
A xanthan gum prepared by a method comprising: providing an aqueous fluid comprising water and between about 1 wt % and 10 wt % xanthan gum, wherein the xanthan gum is substantially dissolved in the aqueous fluid, mixing the aqueous fluid and an organic non-solvent stream comprising water and an organic non-solvent of xanthan gum, thereby producing a first mixture, wherein the first mixture comprises a sub-precipitant concentration of the organic non-solvent; concentrating the first mixture, thereby increasing the xanthan gum concentration, wherein after concentrating the organic non-solvent concentration in the first mixture is below the minimum concentration at which the xanthan gum begins to precipitate; heating the first mixture to a temperature of between about 90° C. and about 125° C. for at least about five minutes; mixing an additional amount of organic non-solvent with the first mixture, thereby producing a second mixture, wherein the second mixture comprises (A) a liquid component comprising organic non-solvent and water, wherein the organic non-solvent concentration in the second mixture is sufficient to precipitate a majority of the xanthan gum present in the second mixture, and (B) precipitated xanthan gum; separating the second mixture into a first fraction and a second fraction, wherein the first fraction comprises a majority of the liquid component and the second fraction comprises substantially all of the precipitated xanthan gum; and drying the second fraction to produce a first dried xanthan gum product; wherein the first dried xanthan gum product, when rehydrated in water at a concentration of 0.25%, has a viscosity in excess of 800 cps when measured on a Brookfield viscometer with a #4 spindle at 60 rpm and 75° F., and has a viscosity that is at least 10% greater than that of a rehydrated dried xanthan gum product prepared by a method comprising: providing a second aqueous fluid comprising water and between about 1 wt % and 10 wt % xanthan gum, wherein the xanthan gum is substantially dissolved in the aqueous fluid; heat treating the second aqueous fluid at a temperature of between about 90° C. and about 125° C. for at least about five minutes; mixing organic non-solvent with the heat-treated second aqueous fluid, thereby producing a third mixture, wherein the third mixture comprises (A) a liquid component comprising organic non-solvent and water, wherein the organic non-solvent concentration in the third mixture is sufficient to precipitate a majority of the xanthan gum present in the third mixture, and (B) a second precipitated xanthan gum; separating the third mixture into an A fraction and a B fraction, wherein the A fraction comprises a majority of the liquid component and the B fraction comprises substantially all of the second precipitated xanthan gum; and drying the B fraction to produce a second dried xanthan gum product.