Guar gum: processing, properties and food applications—A Review

Abstract

Guar gum is a novel agrochemical processed from endosperm of cluster bean. It is largely used in the form of guar gum powder as an additive in food, pharmaceuticals, paper, textile, explosive, oil well drilling and cosmetics industry. Industrial applications of guar gum are possible because of its ability to form hydrogen bonding with water molecule. Thus, it is chiefly used as thickener and stabilizer. It is also beneficial in the control of many health problems like diabetes, bowel movements, heart disease and colon cancer. This article focuses on production, processing, composition, properties, food applications and health benefits of guar gum.

Optimization of enzymatic hydrolysis of guar gum using response surface methodology

“…sauces, soups, desserts and baked food products due to its stabilizing and thickening properties. In last few decades, guar gum has been studied extensively for its health benefits (Krotkiewski 1984;Ellis et al 1996;Butt et al 2007;Mudgil et al 2011). Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) has attracted attention as a water-soluble dietary fiber as it shows physiological effects such as increasing defecating frequency and lowering the pH of feces of both healthy men and constipated women and reducing serum cholesterol, free fatty acid, and glucose concentrations in humans (Greenberg and Sellman 1998;Heini et al 1998;Trinidad et al 2004;Minekus et al 2005;Stewart and Slavin 2006;Yoon et al 2006).…”

A novel route for synthesis of cross-linked polystyrene copolymer beads with tunable porosity using guar and xanthan gums from bioresources as alternative synthetic suspension stabilizers

“…This hydroxyl group is rich high molecular weight polymer consisting of d -mannose backbone on which d -galactose units are attached as side-chains. These functional groups form hydrogen bonding with water to impart viscosity and thickening to the solution [63]. …”

Quantification of Sugar Epimers in Polygalactomannans by ESI-MS/MS

“…Nowadays, the most widely employed PGM for industrial purposes is obtained from the guar plant (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus), mainly cultivated in India [10]. Other important, but commercially less exploited PGMs are extracted from locust bean (Ceratonia siliqua) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum), spontaneous plants of the Mediterranean regions, from tara (Caesalpinia spinosa), native to South America, and from sesbania (Sesbania bispinosa), native to Asia and Africa [9,11].…”

“…M/G (i.e., with high galactose content) usually dissolve easier than others, leading to the formation of viscous, non-Newtonian fluids. For example, locust bean gum (M/G ~4) requires a boiling procedure to reach full hydration, while fenugreek (M/G ~1) and guar (M/G ~2) gums are highly soluble even in cold water [9,10]. Thanks to the nonionic nature of PGMs, the viscosity of the resulting solutions is almost constant over a wide range of temperature and pH [6,10].…”

“…For example, locust bean gum (M/G ~4) requires a boiling procedure to reach full hydration, while fenugreek (M/G ~1) and guar (M/G ~2) gums are highly soluble even in cold water [9,10]. Thanks to the nonionic nature of PGMs, the viscosity of the resulting solutions is almost constant over a wide range of temperature and pH [6,10]. The degree of galactose substitutions also affects the propensity of the polymer to form gels, although the relation to the M/G ratio is not straightforward and is strongly dependent on environmental conditions [13,24].…”