Welan Gum
Welan Gum is an anionic exopolysaccharide produced by aerobic fermentation of Alcaligenes sp. ATCC 31555. It belongs to the sphingan family of bacterial gums alongside gellan, diutan, and rhamsan, all sharing a common tetrasaccharide backbone with different side-chain decorations.
The polymer has a glucose, glucuronic acid, glucose, rhamnose repeating backbone with rhamnose or mannose side groups, plus acetyl substitutions. The combination gives unusual viscosity retention at high temperature and salinity.
We source bulk Welan Gum from top China manufacturers for our partners, working with several of them. The manufacturers are in Inner Mongolia, Ningxia and Zhejiang. A smaller requirement can ship in a combined container with other ingredients.
Please send the grade you need, the volume and your destination port, and we will come back with a solution and a price.
or call +86-21-6858 0751
- Packaging
- 25 kg kraft paper bag with PE inner liner
- ISO 9001
- HACCP
- Halal
- Kosher
Specifications
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | Off-white to light tan powder |
| Assay (dry basis) | ≥ 85.0% |
| Loss on Drying | ≤ 15.0% |
| pH (0.5% solution) | 6.0–8.0 |
| Viscosity (0.1% solution, 25°C) | ≥ 800 mPa·s |
| Residue on Ignition | ≤ 15.0% |
| Arsenic (as As) | ≤ 3 ppm |
| Lead (as Pb) | ≤ 5 ppm |
| Total Plate Count | ≤ 10,000 CFU/g |
| Yeast & Mold | ≤ 400 CFU/g |
| Salmonella | Negative/25g |
Common Markets Grades
Welan Gum is produced primarily in industrial grades, with a smaller food and personal-care segment.
Oilfield-grade welan dominates volume, sold in coarse mesh for drilling muds and cementing applications. It is selected for stable viscosity at temperatures above 120 °C and in saline brine.
Construction-grade welan is used in self-consolidating concrete and grouting applications, where its anti-washout behaviour in fluid concrete is the key property.
Cosmetic and personal-care welan carries a finer mesh for shampoos, conditioners, and skincare formulations where heat and electrolyte tolerance matter.
Applications
- Oilfield drilling muds for high-temperature deep wells
- Cementing fluids in oil and gas well construction
- Self-consolidating and self-levelling concrete for anti-washout behaviour
- Grouting and tunnelling fluids in civil engineering
- Enhanced oil recovery polymer floods at high salinity
- Industrial coatings and paint thickeners
- Cosmetic shampoos and conditioners requiring electrolyte tolerance
- Personal-care creams and lotions with high salt content
- Latex and adhesive viscosity modification
- Specialty food applications where heat tolerance is critical
China Manufacturers of Welan Gum
Top Welan Gum manufacturers in China.
Deosen Biochemical (Ordos) Co., Ltd.7 ingredients in the directory- Northwest Biological (Ningxia) Technology Co., Ltd.4 ingredients in the directory
Zhejiang Top Hydrocolloids Co., Ltd.10 ingredients in the directory
Company names and logos are the property of the manufacturers themselves. They are listed here because our own directory records them as producing this ingredient. A listing is not an endorsement by them, and we do not represent them or speak on their behalf.
How We Help Source Welan Gum
Direct Factory Sourcing
We run the whole process: selecting the manufacturer from the top Chinese food ingredient producers, negotiating the price, verifying quality, and coordinating the logistics. You deal with us instead of with several factories at once.
Original Packaging and Documents from the Manufacturer
The manufacturer sends your Welan Gum out of its own factory in the original packing, through to your destination port. The COA, COO, MSDS, TDS and any certifications reach you from the manufacturer as well.
Free Samples and Lead Time
We send 100 to 500 g free for your own laboratory to test and you cover only the courier, usually within 2 to 3 working days. ETD is usually within 7 to 15 days once the order is confirmed, and we check that date against the factory's own manufacturing schedule before we give it to you.
Combined Shipment
We can load Welan Gum together with other ingredients such as Carrageenan, Sodium Carboxymethyl Cellulose and Agar Agar into one 20' FCL. If your quantity is small, we can also ship LCL.
Regulatory Status
Welan Gum's regulatory status varies significantly by market.
In food use, the gum is permitted in a limited number of jurisdictions and is not currently a recognised food additive in the European Union. The U.S. FDA has not issued a specific approval, though related sphingans (gellan) are widely cleared.
For industrial applications including construction additives and oilfield chemicals, welan is widely accepted under national chemical regulations including REACH and TSCA inventory listings.
Halal, Kosher, vegan, and non-GMO certifications exist from major suppliers for personal-care and specialty applications.
Manufacturing Process
Welan is produced by submerged aerobic fermentation of the licensed Alcaligenes ATCC 31555 strain on a glucose-based medium with controlled nitrogen and trace elements.
The fermentation runs at 30 to 32 °C for three to five days, during which broth viscosity climbs sharply. Adequate oxygen transfer requires specialised impeller design and high power input.
After fermentation, the broth is pasteurised, then welan is recovered by alcohol precipitation, dewatered, dried, and milled to the target mesh size. Industrial grades may skip clarification to retain cell debris that contributes to construction-fluid performance.
CP Kelco was the original commercial producer; today Chinese fermentation manufacturers also supply the global market, primarily for construction and oilfield use.
