A thickening agent, also known as a thickener, is a substance capable of enhancing the viscosity of a liquid while preserving its other properties largely unchanged. Edible thickeners are frequently employed to thicken sauces, soups, and puddings without affecting their flavor; thickeners also find application in paints, inks, explosives, and cosmetics. Common food thickeners encompass corn starch, potato starch, modified starches, xanthan gum, guar gum, gelatin, methylcellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, and so forth.