FEATURES
Once diluted with an electric mixer, Guar hydrates and acts. Due to the thickening properties of guar gum, it will act cold or hot, absorbing a large amount of water and thickening instantly.
Being like Locust bean gum (Krob) in terms of characteristics, in terms of use it is very similar to xanthan gum (Xtan, due to the great thickening capacity of both), but with a different resulting texture.
It can thicken acidic preparations (it has a pH range of 3 to 10), and also high proportions of fat, allows freeze-thawing processes and is very easy to dissolve (both hot and cold).
Guar is, therefore, a very powerful texturizer (comparable to Xtan), and can be used to thicken – hot or cold – a wide range of bases (acids, fats, …), stabilize textures and improve freezing and thawing processes.
Applications
It can be used in both cold and hot media and can tolerate a certain proportion of alcohol (about 10%).
At the same dosage levels, guar gum will create much more viscous mixtures than locust bean gum (Krob). In a high content of sugar media, the capacities of guar gum will be delayed or decreased; and when thickening in hot media, the viscosity will decrease (at the same dosage, lower viscosity will be achieved)
Guar is one of the top ingredients of the ice cream production (used at a ratio of 5 gr / Kg) as a thickening agent for its great ability to prevent the formation of ice crystals. It is also very present in dietary foods (notably in low-sugar jams products), for its viscous thickening and its satiating effect. At a dosage rate of 1 – 3 gr / Kg, it offers creamy textures and avoids syneresis. At a higher dose (4 – 10 gr / Kg), it is a complete thickener for purees and creams.
It comes in powder form, neutral smell and taste.
Curiosities
Guar is a natural additive that comes from the fiber obtained from the endosperm in the seeds of the legume plant Cyamopsis tetragonoloba, and has been traditionally used as human and livestock food in its places of origin (India, Pakistan, Australia and Africa), although its potential as a food additive and as a nutritional supplement was discovered from the 50s. Being a dietary fiber, it has interesting dietary properties for diabetes, intestinal and heart problems and colon cancer).
Like all fibers, it is not suitable for very acidic media (pH<3) due to hydrolysis (breaking of the chains, caused by a highly acid media).
As for the temperature, although it thickens perfectly in cold and hot, the range in which it acts best is between 25-60ºC / 77-140ºF (for greater viscosity). In its cold use, the highest viscosity is obtained after a rest of 1 hour and a half.
Guar is very present in the food industry due to its nature (dietary fiber) and its great water control capabilities; and is used both alone and in synergy with other hydrocolloids (pectins, gums, alginates) and even with starches. It is frequently used in bakery (to get softer crumbs and breads with more volume), fried products (less oil absorption), dairy and pasta (better texture), meats (water retention at different temperatures) and cheeses (so useful in this industry that dosages of up to 3% are allowed).
Being from the group of galactomannans, like locust bean gum, it has the same properties as Krob but with more intensity. This is due to the difference in its molecular weight (the guar gum molecule being much larger) and the branching of its structure (guar being highly branched).
Dosage
5 – 10 gr / kg
