Guar Gum

Guar gum (E412) also called Guaran or cluster bean is a dietary fiber extracted from the ground endosperm of the guar plant, Cyanmopsis Tetragonolobus belonging to the family Leguminosae. The guar plant is mainly grown in India and Pakistan from the month of July to December. At harvest time, the seeds are extracted from the pod of the plant and then ground into guar gum. It is also cultivated in the United States.

What is Guar Gum

Guar fruit is a pod; its seeds have an average diameter of about 5 mm. They contain a reserve substance, the albumen. From the outside to the interior, we have: the hull, the albumen or endosperm, which is light cream in color. It is made up of two hemispherical segments (splits) which surround the germ. Its major constituent is the polysaccharide, the germ, rich in protein.
Guar Gum is a natural high molecular weight polysaccharide composed of galactan and mannan units. Polysaccharides are complex sugar molecules with nine or more simple sugars (monosaccharide) linked together. Examples of other types of polysaccharides include starch and cellulose.

Uses:
Interest for Guar Gum is fairly recent: its initial development was due to a lack of Locust Bean Gum in the 1940s. Its large scale industrial production dates from the 1950s.
Guar Gum is used as a thickener and emulsifier in commercial food processing. It is also used in paper manufacturing, textiles, printing, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Guar is an all-natural ingredient, unlike other common thickeners such as modified food starch and cellulose gum (CMC), and has been shown to provide important health benefits.
Numerous studies have shown that the consumption of Guar Gum lowers serum LDL cholesterol and triglycerides and increases glucose tolerance. It helps regulate the rate of absorption of nutrients, including sugar, spreading it over a longer period of time. The result is a slower rise in blood sugar levels, and a less rapid subsequent drop. In one recent study, rats fed Guar Gum as a part of their diets showed a 25% decrease in plasma cholesterol. Guar is also high in soluble dietary fiber.

Safety:
Guar gum is Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) with differing percentages set for its allowable concentration in various food applications. In the late 1980s, guar gum was used and heavily promoted in several weight loss products. FDA eventually recalled these due to reports of esophageal blockage from insufficient fluid intake. For this reason, guar gum is no longer approved for use in over-the-counter weight loss aids in the United States. However, it remains approved for use as an emulsifier, thickener, and stabilizer.

Acceptability:
Guar gum has historically been considered acceptable as a food, cosmetic, and supplement additive at Whole Foods Market when used according to FDA regulations and in accordance with Good Manufacturing Practices.

Food Applications:

• Bakery - increases dough yield, gives greater resiliency, and improves texture and shelf life.

• Dairy - thickens ice creams, sherbets, cheese, liquid milk products, etc.

• Meat - functions as lubricant and binder.

• Dressing and sauces - improves the stability and appearance of salad dressings, barbecue sauces, relishes, ketchups and others (especially highly acidic emulsions).

• Misc. - Dry soups, sweet desserts, canned fish in sauce, frozen food items and animal feed.

• Pharmaceutical and Cosmetics.

• Guar gum can be used as a thickener for various cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. In compressed tablets guar gum can be used as a binder and disintegrator.