Bacterial polysaccharides with potential use in food as gelling, thickening, stabilising or encapsulating agents will be reviewed. Attention will be focussed on xanthan, gellan and the possible use of cyclosophorans as replacements for cyclodextrins. The possibility of manipulating the rheology of fermented food systems by controlling the extracellular production of polysaccharides by bacterial starter cultures will be discussed.