Gellan Gum is a water-soluble, anionic polymer produced by the sulfur bacterium Sphingomonas aeruginosa. It was first isolated and found by the then Kelco Division of Merck & Company, Inc., in 1978 from a natural lake in Pennsylvania. Since then, it has been used for a variety of cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, and cosmetics. It is a powerful antiseptic and antimicrobial, able to kill microorganisms and prevent their formation. It has become a vital part of cosmetic and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The gellan gum used in making lip products such as lipstick is derived from the tissues of the red round-toothed fruit of the species Gymnema sylvestre.