We The People: This Day in History, December 11
Allene Jeanes, Inventor of Xanthan Gum and Waco Native
Published: Dec. 11, 2025 at 7:44 AM CST
WACO, Texas (KWTX) - On December 11, 1995, Allene Jeanes passed away.
Jeanes was a nationally renowned chemist who was born in Waco.
Her greatest accomplishment is the invention of xanthan gum.
The mysterious-sounding substance is a thickening agent used in a wide variety of products from ice cream to cough syrup.
Jeanes, a Baylor University alumna, won several awards for her findings.
Most notably, she was the first woman to receive the distinguished service award from the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Jeanes was posthumously inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in 2017.
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