Guar Gum

Brief Overview

Guar gum is one food additive that works as gelling agent, thickener, stabilizer, and emulsifier. It is generally found in ketchup, ice cream, yoghurt, aerated dessert, and baked goods. Guar gum is added to ice cream to prevent ice crystal growth and control texture during freezing. Furthermore, guar gum can also be used as a soluble dietary fibre to lower blood glucose and cholesterol levels.

Manufacturing Process

The manufacturing process starts with preparing the raw materials. The guar seeds were split and milled into fine particles. The gum is extracted from seeds through roasting, differential attrition, sieving, and polishing. The refined guar splits were then treated and finished into powders to obtain the clarified guar gum.

Food Industry

Guar gum is used in many food industries as a stabilizer, thickener, gelling agent, and binding agent. Guar gum is used as a stabilizer in ice cream as it increases viscosity by controlling crystallization during storage. Guar gum is used to improve product texture in jellies, desserts, and candies. It is also used as a binding agent in gluten-free products and thickens batter. 

Pharmaceutical Industry 

Guar gum is mainly used as an emulsifier in pharmaceutical industries. Some examples of the products are creams, balms, and ointments. 

Cosmetics Industry 

In the cosmetics industry, guar gum is used as an emulsifier to mix water with essential oils. It is also used as a binder in toothpaste due to its clear gel formulation and water-soluble properties. 

Oil and Gas Industry

Guar gum is used in well fracturing and mud drilling processes to maintain the mud viscosity and help remove drill waste. Guar gum is also used as a corrosion inhibitor as it blocks metal and corrosive agents from contact with the surface in a minimal concentration.