Guar gum (E412) is a natural, plant substance that has water-binding, viscosity-increasing and stabilizing properties, thanks to which it has been widely used, also in the food industry. There is also information about its harmfulness and bad effects on he alth. Check what action guar gum has, where you can buy it, what is its price and how to use guar gum?

Guar gumis a substance that has thickening and stabilizing properties. It is in the form of a powder that dissolves very well in water, forming sticky solutions.

Guar gum is obtained from the endosperm of the seeds of the Cyamopsis tetragonoloba plant from the Leguminosae family, which grows mainly in India and Pakistan. It is therefore a naturally occurring substance, made primarily of carbohydrates (polysaccharides) and used by humanity for centuries for various purposes.

Guar gum (E412) - properties

Guar gum is a white or slightly yellowish powder with a bland, mild flavor. It has no smell. It consists mainly of polysaccharide molecules with a very large mass - galactomannans.

Galactomannan is a linear chain composed of β-1,4-glycosidic D-mannopyranosyl molecules and α-1,6-glycosidically linked D-galactopyranosyl molecules forming branches. The ratio of mannose to galactose in guar gum is approximately 2: 1.

The structure of guar gum particles (a large number of branches) is responsible for the hydration (water-binding) and viscoelastic abilities of this substance.Guar gumis a polysaccharide with one of the highest molecular weights among water-soluble natural polymers.

Guar gum dissolves in cold water and other polar solvents. Forms viscous solutions due to the formation of hydrogen bonds between galactomannan and the solvent. Guar gum shows the strongest thickening properties at a temperature of 25 degrees C to 40 degrees C.

Guar gum solutions are stable over a very wide pH range - from 1.0 to 10.5. The properties of guar gum and the reduction of the viscosity of its solutions are influenced by sugar, which competes with the gum for the water available in the solution. However, the presence of s alt in the product mayincrease the viscosity of guar gum solutions.

Guar gum (E412) - application

Guar gum was originally used in the paper and textile industries, where it is appreciated to this day. In the production of paper, it binds cellulose fibers and is used to coat the paper. In the production of fabrics, it is used as a paste thickener for color printing and a dispersing pigment.

In ceramics, guar gum is used as a binder, thickener and fixative for enamelware. It is also an electrolyte thickener in batteries, printing inks, adhesives and pastes.

The pharmaceutical industry uses guar gum as a thickening ingredient in the production of compressed tablets, a filler for certain medications, and a gradual release of an active ingredient from a drug dose.

Due to the fact that guar gum is a soluble fiber, i.e. a substance that regulates the rhythm of bowel movements, it is found in agents that prevent constipation. Guar gum stimulates bowel movements and soothes intestinal discomfort associated with diverticulosis of the large intestine, Crohn's disease, colitis and irritable bowel syndrome.

Guar gum is a component of dietary supplements whose task is to reduce appetite and thus facilitate weight control. It can do this because it swells in the presence of water, filling the digestive tract and slowing gastric emptying. Thanks to this, the appetite is reduced and you feel hungry later.

Guar gum is a highly valued raw material in the cosmetics industry. It is used in the production of toothpastes, shaving foams, creams, lotions, spray cosmetics, shampoos and masks. Enables the creation of gels, stabilizes foams, leaves a thin layer on the skin, making it smooth, prevents phase delamination, etc.

  • Does Sodium GLUTAMINATE Harm Your He alth?
  • Potassium sorbate (E202) - properties and application
  • Sodium benzoate (E211) - properties, application, harmfulness
  • NITRATES and NITRATES in food - sources, impact on he alth
Worth knowing

Guar gum (E412) - price, where to buy?

You can buy guar gum in stores with the so-called he althy food and use it in home cooking, e.g. for thickening sauces or baking gluten-free cakes. 100 g of guar gum costs from 5 to 10 PLN.

Guar gum (E412) - what products does it contain?

70 percent world-produced guar gum is used in the food industry. Guar gum is used as

  • thickener
  • stabilizer
  • emulsifier
  • source of dietary fiber

Guar gum as a food additive is marked with the symbol E 412.

It is used in the food industry to make processed foods. It is liked by both producers and consumers because it is a cheap and natural supplement. In food products, the content of guar gum usually does not exceed 1%. Foods to which the guar gum may be added are:

  • confectionery and mixes for baking bread, cakes (not more than 0.35%)
  • breakfast cereals (no more than 1.2%)
  • cheeses (not more than 0.8%)
  • fats and oils (no more than 2%)
  • jams and jellies (not more than 1%)
  • dairy products (no more than 0.6%)
  • vegetable preserves and vegetable juices (no more than 2%)
  • ready-made soups and soup mixes (no more than 0.8%)
  • sweet sauces, syrups, toppings, pomades (not more than 1%)
  • salad dressings (no more than 1%)
  • processed meat

The addition of guar gum to food may be associated with various uses and affect other product characteristics.

  • in bread, guar gum increases the softness and volume of the loaf
  • in fried products reduces oil absorption
  • in yoghurts and other dairy products improves texture
  • in cakes is a substitute for fat
  • in sausages - is a binder
  • in sauces and marinades prevents solid ingredients from settling and separating, similarly in plant milks (e.g. coconut milk, almond milk, soy milk)
  • in noodles improves texture
  • in ice cream prevents the formation of too large crystals during freezing
  • in ketchup to improve texture
  • Modified starch - properties and application
  • Annato in cheese - is this dye harmful? The impact of annatto on he alth
  • Cochineal (E120) - is this dye harmful? What products does it contain?

Guar gum (E412) - harmfulness. Is it safe for he alth?

Guar gum is a food additive "generally recognized as safe", which means it has the GRAS status. This is due to the fact that there is no acceptable daily intake value for guar gum. Guar gum is a natural polysaccharide with the functions of a soluble fiber, so not only is it not a he alth hazard, but it can even show he alth-promoting properties.

You shouldn't be afraid of guar gum in food, but always remember that additives are usually ingredientshighly processed products with low nutritional value, and when choosing food, you need to take care of its quality.

Guar gum can be harmful when consumed in excess, but there is no way to get too much from your food. The problem may be related to dietary supplements that are supposed to aid weight loss. Excess guar gum can lead to the removal of too much good bacteria from the intestines and excessively increase the viscosity of the chyme, which in turn can cause digestive discomfort, impaired digestion and nutrient absorption.

Guar gum in the concentrations used in food has a positive effect on he alth. It prevents constipation, but you must remember to drink water. Otherwise, the effect will be the opposite. Guar gum is fermented in the gut to produce short-chain fatty acids - valuable ingredients that nourish the cells of the gut.

It slows down the absorption of sugar into the blood, and thus prevents glucose spikes and sudden insulin bursts. This makes it easier to control diabetes and other carbohydrate disorders. It has also been found that guar gum in meals reduces the level of LDL cholesterol in the blood.

Some studies have shown that adding guar gum to your diet allows you to lose weight faster due to slow stomach emptying and suppressing hunger. In addition, it slows down the digestion of starch, because it creates a gel coating around its grains that hinders the access of digestive enzymes.

In its partially hydrolyzed form, guar gum is used in clinical nutrition and in the treatment of intestinal diseases. It is used in the irritable bowel syndrome, both in the form of diarrhea and constipation.

Scientists take it a step further and report that C-glycosylated guar and its sulphated derivatives have anti-inflammatory and chemopreventive properties. They can prevent cancer because they inhibit the activity of carcinogenic enzymes and promote the activity of the enzyme glutathione S-transferase with anti-cancer properties.

Guar gum (E412) - how is it made?

80% of guar gum is produced in India. Other countries where guar is grown are Pakistan, Brazil, the United States (Texas, Arizona), Australia and South Africa. Annual world production of guar gum is 11-13 million tons. The largest importer is the United States (33% of Indian production), China (11.6%) and Germany (9.4%).

Guar gum has been produced in India probably since the 13th century. It was produced industrially outside of India only in the 1940s in the United States. The impetus for more accurateInvestigating the properties of guar gum, problems with the supply of carob bean flour from Europe and North Africa during World War II, and this was an important raw material for the paper and textile industry.

Guar gum is made from the seeds of the guar plant, which are smaller than the grains of a pea, round and brown. The grains consist of three layers - the embryo being the innermost element (43-46% by weight of the grain), the surrounding endosperm (34-40% by weight of the grain) and the outer husk (16-18% by weight of the grain). The endosperm is used to make guar gum.

In order to obtain guar gum, the seeds are broken into two halves, then the embryo is separated from the endosperm. Dehulling (removal of the scales) takes place at an increased temperature. The cleaned endosperm is ground to a fine powder, then dried, and sieved through screens of varying thickness to divide the guar gum into fractions of different particle sizes. At this stage, you can finish the production process.

However, clarified guar gum is also produced, the production technology of which is more complex. The ground guar endosperm is dissolved in hot water and filtered to separate the insoluble particles. Then an alcohol solution (ethanol or isopropanol) is used, with which the undesirable substances are precipitated.

The next steps are filtration of the sediments, drying the guar gum solution, grinding the herbs and packing. In this way, a clarified guar gum is obtained, i.e. a pure polysaccharide with a reduced content of impurities.

Sources:

1. Mudgil D. et al., Guar gum: Processing, properties and food applications - A Review, Journal of Food Science and Technology, 2014, DOI: 10.1007 / s13197-011-0522-x
2. Tripathy S. et al., Guar gum: Present status and applications, Journal of Pharmaceutical and Scientific Innovation, 2013, DOI: 10.7897 / 2277-4572.02447
3. Kawamura Y., Guar gum, Chemical and Technical Assessment, http: / /www.fao.org/fileadmin/templates/agns/pdf/jecfa/cta/69/Guar_gum.pdf

About the authorAleksandra Żyłowska-Mharrab, dietician Food technologist, dietitian, educator. A graduate of Biotechnology at the Gdańsk University of Technology and Nutritional Services at the Maritime University. A supporter of simple, he althy cuisine and conscious choices in everyday nutrition. My main interests include building permanent changes in eating habits and individually composing a diet according to the body's needs. Because the same thing is not he althy for everyone! I believe that nutritional education is very important, both for children and adults. I focus my activities on spreading knowledge about nutrition, I analyze new resultsresearch, I myself conclude. I adhere to the principle that a diet is a lifestyle, not strict adherence to meals on a sheet of paper. There is always room for delicious pleasures in he althy and conscious eating.

Category:

What do you eat