Locust Bean Gum | whatsinit

About

What it is and where it shows up.

Locust bean gum is a natural high-molecular-weight galactomannan polysaccharide derived from the ground endosperm of seeds of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua, Family Leguminosae). It is widely used in food as a thickener, stabiliser, emulsifier, and gelling agent in products such as ice cream, dairy desserts, sauces, cheeses, and processed meats.

Safety summary

The regulatory and scientific consensus.

Both EFSA (2017, 2023) and JECFA (1981) have concluded that no numerical ADI is required, and no safety concern exists for the general population at typical food additive exposure levels. Locust bean gum is practically undigested and not absorbed intact, but is significantly fermented by enteric bacteria. Infants and young children consuming special medical foods may show higher susceptibility to gastrointestinal effects; additionally, a 2021 EU food-safety incident identified ethylene oxide contamination above quantification limits in some commercial E410 batches, prompting regulatory attention.

Regulatory landscape

What food-safety regulators have decided.

Jurisdiction	Status	Note
EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) (European Union)	Approved	Authorised food additive under Regulation (EC) No 1333/2008 and Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012. ADI 'not specified'. EFSA re-evaluated safety in 2017 (general population) and 2023 (infants below 16 weeks in special medical foods); no safety concern found for general population. A 2021 EU incident documented ethylene oxide residues above the limit of quantification in some E410 batches, triggering food-safety coordinator meetings.source
FDA (Food and Drug Administration) (United States)	Approved	Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) under 21 CFR 184.1343. Permitted as stabiliser and emulsifier in cheeses (Part 133), frozen desserts (Part 135), dressings for foods (Part 169), and artificially sweetened jelly and preserves (Part 150).source

Who should approach with care

Whose guidance would steer them away.

Infants — EFSA (2017, 2023) concluded that infants and young children consuming foods for special medical purposes may show higher susceptibility to gastrointestinal effects of locust bean gum due to their underlying medical condition, and the available data did not allow a full safety assessment for this sub-population.

Other — Rare cases of urticaria and angioedema following carob bean gum ingestion have been cited in the EFSA 2017 opinion (Alarcon et al., 2011), suggesting a potential allergenicity risk in sensitised individuals, particularly those with known legume hypersensitivity.

Research citations

The sources behind this verdict.

1FDA. Food Additive Status List – Carob Bean Gum (Locust Bean Gum), 21 CFR 184.1343. fda.gov
2EFSA. Re-evaluation of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of its re-evaluation as a food additive for uses in foods for all population groups, 2023. efsa.europa.eu
3PubMed. Re-evaluation of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive in foods for infants below 16 weeks of age and follow-up of its re-evaluation as a food additive for uses in foods for all population groups, 2023. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
4EFSA. Re-evaluation of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive, 2017. efsa.europa.eu
5PubMed. Re-evaluation of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive, 2017. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
6WHO. JECFA Monograph – Locust Bean Gum (Carob Bean Gum), ADI 'not specified', 1981.

Independently researched6 citations