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Guar Gum
Guar Gum Scientific Name is Cyamopsis tetragonolobus (L.)
Taub. Guar gum is a dietary fiber obtained from the endosperm of the Indian
cluster bean. The endosperm can account for more than 40% of the seed weight and is separated and ground to form commercial guar gum.
Guar gum is a food additive shown to reduce serum cholesterol. It appears to have positive effects on blood glucose.
Guar Gum is a white to yellowish white powder. It is nearly odorless.
Fine finished Guar Gum Powder is available in different viscosities and different granulometries depending on the desired viscosity development
and application.
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is produced by the partial
enzymatic hydrolysis of guaran, the galactomannan of the endosperm of guar seeds (guar gum). It is a neutral polysaccharide
consisting of a mannose backbone chain with single galactose side units occurring on almost two out of
every three mannose units.
. PHGG as sold commercially is completely soluble, acid and heat stable, unaffected by ions, and will
not gel at high concentrations. Commercial PHGG is approximately 75% dietary fiber and has minimal effect on taste and texture in food and
beverage items. PHGG is fully fermentable in the large bowel, with a high rate of volatile fatty acid formation. The pH of the feces is
lowered along with an increase in fecal bulk that mainly consists of bacterial cell mass and water. Clinical studies have demonstrated a
prebiotic effect of PHGG.
Minimum standards for good quality guar gum have been defined in the
United States FCC and by European Union Specifications as under:
Moisture: 14% max, . Ash (total): 1.5% max., Acid Insoluble Residue: 4% max.,
Galactomannan: 75% min.
Protein: 7% max., Arsenic: 3 ppm max.. Lead: 10 ppm max.. Zinc: 25 ppm max.,
Copper & Zinc: 50 ppm max.
Uses
Cattle feed: In the past Guar used to fed to cattle or used as a green manure
but the use as cattle feed is now rare due to the rising cost.
. Guar Gum in food: Guar is the main the source of guar gum. Guar beans have a large endosperm that
contains galactomannan gum, a substance which forms a gel in water.
This is commonly known as guar gum and is used in dairy products like ice cream and as a stabilizer in cheese and cold-meat processing.
Guar gum powder is used in the production of bread. Even small quantities of guar gum powder added to the dough
increase the yield, give greater resiliency, improve texture and give longer shelf life.
Guar Gum can be used as stabilizer for chocolate drinks, fruit nectars, and juices.
Guar Gum Industrial uses::
Derivatives of guar gum used in industrial applications, such as the paper and textile industry, ore
flotation, the manufacture of explosives and hydraulic fracturing of oil and gas formations.
Guar gum is often crosslinked with boron or chromium ions to make it more stable and heat resistant. The
crosslinking of guar with metal ions results in linear gel that does not block the formation and helps efficiently in formation cleaning process.
The borate - guar reaction is reversible, and depends on the pH of the solution.
Substitute of other gum: Guar gum has also proven a useful substitute for locust bean gum.
Guar replaces target beverages, mayo, ketchup : Manufacturers of fruit beverages, mayonnaise and ketchup have
access to a new range of guar gum replacers just launched by Premium Ingredients.
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.
Guar Gum as a medicine
Guar Gum used in weight loss, because bulk-forming fibers may impart a “feeling of fullness,” they
have been used to help curb appetite.
Guar gum has been reported to have varied effects on blood pressure.
Guar gum may cause GI obstruction. Use guar gum cautiously in diabetic
patients. Flatulence and other symptoms of GI distress are common during initial use.
Guar in Rajasthan
Currently, India is the main producers of cluster bean accounting 80%
production of the total world, whereas Rajasthan occupies the largest area (82.1%) under guar clutivation in the country.
The most important growing area are desert
areas as Jodhpur , Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Sekhawat (Churu, Sikar , Jhunjunu), Nagoor in Rajasthan.
The guar business is so good in Rajasthan right now, that according to
the article published in "Down To Earth", a company called Vikas WSP is handing out free guar seeds to
farmers and promising to buy all of their output at a guaranteed price
higher than they can get for any other crop. Obviously great for poor Indian farmers, who can now make ends meet. The price of guar in India
has increased 12-fold in the past year to $28,000 per metric ton. Speculation grew so rampant that Indian authorities temporarily banned
guar futures trading.
Economics
In the year 2011 both guar seed and guar gum unjustifiably jumped to set new records
at Rs 330 a kg and Rs 1,000 a kg, respectively. But, these commodities declined dramatically on suspension of their trade in the
future, market. But the prices of Guar and Guar Gum depends on the
timely rains. Nearly 80 per cent of the sowing area in Rajasthan is rain-fed. Jodhpur,
Barmer, Bikaner and Jaisalmer are still awaiting rainfall.
Canada, China, Chile, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan,
US, UK, Ireland, Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Mexico are the major importers of guar seed from India.
The market of Guar and Guar Gum is influenced by the factors as: Changes in output/produce due to fluctuations in rainfall,
demand and supply mismatch, hoarding and black marketing and Government policies.
Modern Research
Modern research
found Guar gum has been shown to have positive effects on cholesterol at doses
ranging from 12 to 15 g/day. Most short-term studies in patients with mild to moderate hypercholesterolemia have demonstrated a
decrease in serum total cholesterol levels. Guar gum also has been used as an adjunct to more conventional
lipid- lowering therapy. Coadministration with lovastatin resulted in a
larger decrease in total cholesterol levels (44%) compared with lovastatin alone (34%) after 18 weeks of treatment.
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