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Ingredient file // Fiber

Cassia Gum

A wet food binder with a purity limit

Cassia gum is made from the inner portion of cassia seeds. It thickens liquid and helps wet food hold its shape, but contributes little nutrition. Safety assessments distinguish purified gum from less refined material and set a limit for its use.

Role in the food Does a job
What it is
A purified powder from the inner portion of cassia seeds, used to thicken and gel wet food.
Made from
The inner portion of cassia seeds
Main job
Bind wet food
Typical amount
Not published
Watch for
Purity and amount matter for safety
Not the same as
Guar gum

Straight answer

Is Cassia Gum safe for dogs?

Read cassia gum as a texture ingredient

When cassia gum appears low on a wet food list, read it as a binder for the liquid. The list shows relative weight, not the gum's exact amount or purity. Check the main ingredients and the food's nutrition; cassia gum alone tells you little about either.

Why it is in the food
Bind wet food

Our read // In our catalog

In 1 of every 38 foods we track

Share of foods that list it

3%

84 of the 3,204 foods with an ingredient list on file, from 13 brands. 77 wet dog food, 7 dog food topper.

Each square is 1% of the catalog

Where it sits on the label

Median position 13.5. In the top five of 8 foods, so it is usually a minor ingredient.

Top five List position, heaviest first

Above the salt

57%

Listed before the salt in 57% of foods. In the rest it is under about 1% of the recipe.

Price per lb

Foods with it $3.26
All foods $3.25

Median of the cheapest bag price across 8 priced foods, about level with the catalog. The price is the food's, not the ingredient's.

Who leans on it

43%

of the foods that list it are from Blue. 13 brands use it in total.

What it is

How it is made

Seed processors separate the gum-rich inner portion from the husk and germ. They grind it for use as a thickener, then purify it to reduce naturally occurring anthraquinones that raised a laboratory safety concern.3,4

  1. 01 // Source Cassia seeds Seeds from two closely related cassia plants supply the inner portion used for the gum.
  2. 02 // Process Clean and sort Machines remove debris, immature seeds and seeds from a different cassia species.
  3. 03 // Process Split and grind Heat and mechanical treatment separate the husk and germ; the inner portion is milled into powder.
  4. 04 // Process Purify and dry An isopropanol wash reduces anthraquinones before the powder is dried.
  5. 05 // Output Cassia gum powder The dry powder reaches food plants as a texture ingredient for moist recipes.

What is in it

Composition, dry matter

6

% protein

About this much protein remained in tested purified lots after correcting for moisture. The gum is used for texture.

Crude protein 5.9-6.2%3
Crude fat 0.3-0.5%3
Ash 0.2-0.3%3

These ranges were calculated from purified lots tested at different moisture levels. They describe those lots, not every supplier's gum. The food additive specification requires at least 75% galactomannan in the powder as sold.3,4

Why it is in the bag

Not filler: it gels and holds wet food

  1. Main nutrition
  2. Supporting nutrient
  3. Does a job
  4. Mostly filler

Cassia gum is a gelling agent, not a nutrient source. The EU authorizes it only in complete feeds above 20% moisture, used with carrageenan, the setting where regulators judged it effective. Makers add it so the liquid sets and pieces hold their shape. The powder is more than 75% galactomannan, a carbohydrate chain, so it brings little protein or fat. Lists run by weight but show no amounts, so its position does not reveal the dose.6,8

  1. 01

    Sets wet food

    Cassia gum thickens liquid. In a laboratory test, it formed a firm gel with xanthan gum, while either gum alone did not form that gel.4

  2. 02

    Holds moisture in place

    Its long carbohydrate chains thicken water, helping a moist recipe keep a consistent texture around its solid pieces.3,4

  3. 03

    Reduces binder costs

    A producer-submitted technical assessment says cassia gum blends need less total binder for a target gel. That is a manufacturing cost claim, not a benefit measured in dogs.3

How much A 90-day Beagle trial fed 0.75% and 2.5% in canned food; EFSA's 1.5% dry matter safety limit applies to purified gum.1,2

Our read // The claims

What the evidence supports

Strong: controlled studies in dogs agree. Some: small or mixed dog data. Thin: mechanism or lab work only. None: nothing, or the evidence points the other way.

  1. Brands say

    Purified cassia gum is safe at permitted levels

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    A 90-day Beagle study found no adverse effect at its tested amounts, though water intake rose. EFSA's safety conclusion covers purified gum at no more than 1.5% of feed dry matter, not every form or amount.1,2

  2. Brands say

    Cassia gum keeps wet food together

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    A laboratory test formed a firm gel with cassia and xanthan gums, but not with either gum alone. European authorization also specifies use with carrageenan in moist feed. This is evidence for texture, not dog health.4,5

  3. Brands say

    Cassia gum improves a dog's gut bacteria

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    A laboratory fermentation test used enzyme-cut pieces of cassia gum and selected bacterial strains. It did not feed whole gum to dogs or measure their gut health, so the claimed benefit in wet food is untested.7

  4. Owners say

    Cassia gum causes cancer in dogs

    Outruns the evidence

    Evidence

    1. Strong
    2. Some
    3. Thin
    4. None

    Less refined gum produced a positive bacterial mutation result; purified gum did not. That result supports impurity limits, not a claim that dogs develop cancer from cassia gum. JECFA found no long-term cassia gum cancer study.1,2

Straight answers

What owners ask

  1. Q01

    Is it just filler?

    No

    It has a specific job: thickening liquid and helping wet food hold its shape. It is not a meaningful protein or fat source. Judge the food's nutrition from the whole recipe.3,4

  2. Q02

    Is it the same as guar gum?

    No

    Both are seed gums, but their carbohydrate chains have different branching patterns. That changes how they behave in a recipe. Cassia gum on the label does not mean the food contains guar gum.3

  3. Q03

    Should I avoid food containing it?

    Not by default

    The dog feeding study found no adverse effect at its tested amounts. EFSA's favorable safety assessment applies to purified gum at no more than 1.5% of feed dry matter; it does not cover less refined gum.1,2

  4. Q04

    Does the label show its amount?

    No

    Ingredients appear in descending order by weight, but the list does not give each ingredient's amount. Cassia gum's position tells you its relative weight, not its concentration or purity.6

Who uses it

Brands, best sellers and the company it keeps

Top brands, by foods that list it

  1. Blue 36 / 186
  2. Wellness 13 / 118
  3. Canidae 5 / 35
  4. Earthborn Holistic 5 / 28
  5. Go! Solutions 5 / 46
  6. Authority 4 / 34
  7. Pure Balance 4 / 17
  8. Dave's Pet Food 3 / 22
  9. Solid Gold 2 / 46
  10. Instinct 2 / 98

Foods that list it / all the brand's recipes we track.

Plus 3 more brands.

Usually listed with, share of the foods that list it

  1. Chicken 63%
  2. Chicken Broth 48%
  3. Carrots 46%
  4. Flaxseed 44%
  5. Chicken Liver 43%
  6. Guar Gum 33%
  7. Peas 33%
  8. Turkey 29%
  9. Brown Rice 29%
  10. Potatoes 26%
  11. Sweet Potatoes 25%
  12. Carrageenan 24%

On the shelf

Foods that list Cassia Gum

84 foods in our catalog list it. These 60 list it highest on the label.

Wellness Core 95% Turkey & Spinach Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core 95% Turkey & Spinach Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 4 on the labelWellness Core 95% Chicken & Broccoli Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core 95% Chicken & Broccoli Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 4 on the labelWellness Ninety-Five Percent Lamb Grain-Free Dog Food Mixer or TopperWellnessWellness Ninety-Five Percent Lamb Grain-Free Dog Food Mixer or TopperTopper // No. 4 on the labelWellness Ninety-Five Percent Turkey Dog Food Mixer or TopperWellnessWellness Ninety-Five Percent Turkey Dog Food Mixer or TopperTopper // No. 4 on the labelDave’s Pet Food 95% Premium Meats Turkey & Chicken For Dogs / Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodDave's Pet FoodDave’s Pet Food 95% Premium Meats Turkey & Chicken For Dogs / Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 6 on the labelCanidae Pure Petite, Grain Free Chicken & Peas Pâté for Small Breed Dogs Wet Dog FoodCanidaeCanidae Pure Petite, Grain Free Chicken & Peas Pâté for Small Breed Dogs Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelBlue Wilderness Senior Turkey Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Senior Turkey Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelBlue Wilderness Beef Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Beef Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 8 on the labelGo! Solutions Sensitivities Shredded Turkey Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodGo! SolutionsGo! Solutions Sensitivities Shredded Turkey Limited Ingredient Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelVictor Classic Chicken and Rice Formula Pâté Wet Dog FoodVictorVictor Classic Chicken and Rice Formula Pâté Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelGo! Solutions Sensitivities Duck Pâté Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Wet Dog FoodGo! SolutionsGo! Solutions Sensitivities Duck Pâté Grain-Free Limited Ingredient Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelBlue Basics Grain Free Adult Duck Potato Recipe Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Basics Grain Free Adult Duck Potato Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the label
Show 48 more
Wellness Ninety-Five Percent Chicken Dog Food Mixer or TopperWellnessWellness Ninety-Five Percent Chicken Dog Food Mixer or TopperTopper // No. 4 on the labelWellness Ninety-Five Percent Beef Dog Food Mixer or TopperWellnessWellness Ninety-Five Percent Beef Dog Food Mixer or TopperTopper // No. 4 on the labelWellness Core 95% Beef & Carrots Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core 95% Beef & Carrots Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 5 on the labelWellness Ninety-Five Percent Whitefish Dog Food Mixer or TopperWellnessWellness Ninety-Five Percent Whitefish Dog Food Mixer or TopperTopper // No. 5 on the labelBlue Wilderness Trout Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Trout Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelBlue Wilderness - Chicken & Salmon Grill Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness - Chicken & Salmon Grill Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelBlue Wilderness - Duck & Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness - Duck & Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 9 on the labelBlue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Senior Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Rocky Mountain Senior Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelBlue Wilderness Beef & Chicken with Grains Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Beef & Chicken with Grains Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelBlue Wilderness Snake River Grill Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Snake River Grill Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 10 on the labelSolid Gold Barking at the Moon Beef Wet Dog FoodSolid GoldSolid Gold Barking at the Moon Beef Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 11 on the labelWellness Core Digestive Health Beef Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core Digestive Health Beef Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 11 on the labelWellness Core Digestive Health Chicken - Dog Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core Digestive Health Chicken - Dog Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 11 on the labelBlue Baby Blue Puppy Turkey Potato Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Baby Blue Puppy Turkey Potato Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 11 on the labelBlue Wilderness Puppy Food - Turkey & Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Puppy Food - Turkey & Chicken Grill Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 11 on the labelCanidae All Life Stages, Multi-Protein Chicken, Lamb and Fish Wet Dog FoodCanidaeCanidae All Life Stages, Multi-Protein Chicken, Lamb and Fish Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 12 on the labelBlue Freedom Grain-Free - Beef Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Freedom Grain-Free - Beef Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 12 on the labelWellness Core Digestive Health Lamb Wet Dog FoodWellnessWellness Core Digestive Health Lamb Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 12 on the labelBlue Wilderness Turkey & Chicken with Grains Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Turkey & Chicken with Grains Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 12 on the labelBlue True Solutions Skin & Coat Care Whitefish Recipe Dog Food TopperBlueBlue True Solutions Skin & Coat Care Whitefish Recipe Dog Food TopperTopper // No. 12 on the labelBlue Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight Chicken Pate Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Homestyle Recipe Healthy Weight Chicken Pate Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 12 on the labelBlue Delights Porterhouse Savory Juices Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Delights Porterhouse Savory Juices Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 12 on the labelCanidae Pure, Lamb, Turkey & Chicken Grain Free Recipe Wet Dog FoodCanidaeCanidae Pure, Lamb, Turkey & Chicken Grain Free Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelCanidae All Life Stages, Lamb & Rice Recipe Wet Dog FoodCanidaeCanidae All Life Stages, Lamb & Rice Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Lamb Wet Dog FoodEarthborn HolisticEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Lamb Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelPure Balance Pro+ Turkey & Potato Recipe Can Wet Dog FoodPure BalancePure Balance Pro+ Turkey & Potato Recipe Can Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelAbound Lamb & Beef Dinner Wet Dog FoodAboundAbound Lamb & Beef Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelSolid Gold Leaping Waters Grain Free Fish Wet Dog FoodSolid GoldSolid Gold Leaping Waters Grain Free Fish Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelBlue Homestyle Recipe - Lamb & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Homestyle Recipe - Lamb & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelBlue Freedom Senior Chicken Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Freedom Senior Chicken Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 13 on the labelEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Duck Wet Dog FoodEarthborn HolisticEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Duck Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 14 on the labelAbound Wild Beginnings Lamb & Beef Dinner Pate Wet Dog FoodAboundAbound Wild Beginnings Lamb & Beef Dinner Pate Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 14 on the labelInstinct Original Food for Small Breed Dogs Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodInstinctInstinct Original Food for Small Breed Dogs Real Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 14 on the labelBlue True Solutions Mobility Support Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue True Solutions Mobility Support Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 14 on the labelBlue Life Protection Formula Homestyle Recipe (Large Breed) - Chicken & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Life Protection Formula Homestyle Recipe (Large Breed) - Chicken & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 14 on the labelBlue Homestyle Recipe - Fish & Sweet Potato & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Homestyle Recipe - Fish & Sweet Potato & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 14 on the labelBlue Freedom Grain Free Chicken Recipe Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Freedom Grain Free Chicken Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 14 on the labelEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Beef Wet Dog FoodEarthborn HolisticEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Beef Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 15 on the labelEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Chicken Wet Dog FoodEarthborn HolisticEarthborn Holistic Grain Free Classics K95 Chicken Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 15 on the labelGo! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Turkey + Salmon Pâté Wet Dog FoodGo! SolutionsGo! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Turkey + Salmon Pâté Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 15 on the labelHealth Extension food Grain Free New York Style Wet Dog FoodHealth ExtensionHealth Extension food Grain Free New York Style Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 15 on the labelInstinct Original Food for Small Breed Dogs Real Beef Recipe Wet Dog FoodInstinctInstinct Original Food for Small Breed Dogs Real Beef Recipe Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 15 on the labelPure Balance Pro+ Performance for Active Dogs, Beef & Chicken Recipe Can Wet Dog FoodPure BalancePure Balance Pro+ Performance for Active Dogs, Beef & Chicken Recipe Can Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 16 on the labelBlue Life Protection Formula Homestyle Recipe Grain-Free Senior - Chicken & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Life Protection Formula Homestyle Recipe Grain-Free Senior - Chicken & Garden Vegetables Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 16 on the labelPure Balance Pro+ Performance Turkey & Chicken Recipe Cuts in Gravy Can Wet Dog FoodPure BalancePure Balance Pro+ Performance Turkey & Chicken Recipe Cuts in Gravy Can Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 16 on the labelGo! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Pollock Pâté Wet Dog FoodGo! SolutionsGo! Solutions Skin + Coat Care Pollock Pâté Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 16 on the labelBlue Homestyle Recipe Beef Dinner Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Homestyle Recipe Beef Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 16 on the labelBlue Wilderness Denali Dinner Wild Salmon Venison Halibut Dinner Wet Dog FoodBlueBlue Wilderness Denali Dinner Wild Salmon Venison Halibut Dinner Wet Dog FoodWet // No. 16 on the label

Sources

What we read

Checked October 1, 2026.

  1. 1 Safety evaluation of certain food additives Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2010 // Book
  2. 2 Safety of cassia gum as a feed additive for cats and dogs based on a dossier submitted by Glycomer GmbH EFSA Journal, 2019 // Journal
  3. 3 Cassia gum: Chemical and Technical Assessment Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives, 2009 // Industry
  4. 4 Cassia gum FAO JECFA Monographs, 2010 // Regulator
  5. 5 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1947 concerning the authorisation of cassia gum as a feed additive for cats and dogs Official Journal of the European Union, 2019 // Regulator
  6. 6 Reading Labels AAFCO, n.d. // Regulator
  7. 7 Preparation, characterization, and prebiotic activity of manno-oligosaccharides produced from cassia gum by a glycoside hydrolase family 134 β-mannanase Food Chemistry, 2020 // Journal
  8. 8 Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/1947 concerning the authorisation of cassia gum as a feed additive for cats and dogs (consolidated text) Lexaris (reproduction of the Official Journal of the European Union), 2019 // Regulator
An ingredient on its own tells you very little. What matters is how much of it there is and where it sits in the list. That is why we weigh the top five rather than reacting to any single name further down. Back to the wiki

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