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Daily Archives: July 17, 2013

Sesbania Gum Powder – A Better Replacement for Guar Gum Powder
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The Sesbania gum plant is found in the monsoon regions of Asian countries. It is a plant that can grow up to 2 meters high and is marked by large flowers available in a range of bright colors like white, yellow or pink. Sesbania Gum - 1The Sesbania gum is extracted from seeds in Asia by carefully removing the husk, cotyledons and other germ materials from the seed, thus exposing the clean splits which are then milled in a mesh, resulting in a pure and refined Sebastian gum. Other names for this plant are Dhaincha and Jantar. The plant thrives well in highly alkaline soils and even water logged areas. The plant adapts well to hot and humid environment. It has tough and stout stems and the plant is able to withstand unfavorable weather conditions that would otherwise be detrimental to other plants.

Uses and properties of Sesbania gum powder

Sesbania gum has similar characteristic to other natural gums. However depending on climate and concentrations, the gum may behave differently. Under higher concentrations, Sesbania may behave like the guar gum .Sesbania gum is highly soluble in water and has a high viscosity rate thus the reason for its preference in textile industries. Sesbania gum powder is used as a thickening agent or dye agents in textile industries. Due to its high soluble rate, it is widely used in the treatment of waste water. The gum plays a major role in the oil industry in various areas thus increasing the overall oil production and increasing sales.

Advantages of Sesbania over Guar gum powder

Guar gum powder was widely used as a thickening agent in numerous industrial fields. However its popularity is declining due to the scarcity of its material thus making the product very expensive to obtain. However Sesbania plant grows in alkaline soils and therefore cheap to produce since no crop displacement is required for its cultivation. Sesbania Gum can be produced at a cheaper cost than the Guar gum. Moreover Sesbania gum does not degrade even at very high temperatures whereas the Guar gum degrades. The Sesbania gum is 5 times higher viscous than the Guar gum. Although the Guar gum powder has been used in large quantities in the petroleum industry, studies have revealed that even the Sesbania gum powder is able to fully perform similar functions. Therefore most industries are now replacing their Guar gum use with Sesbania powder.

Conclusion

In this industrialized world, gum use is increasingly becoming useful in various industries. As research continues people are on the lookout for the most efficient gum available. Studies have revealed that Sesbania Gum powder is now preferred to Guar gum powder due to its desirable properties. The viscosity and solubility rate of the Sesbania gum powder is 5 times higher than most natural gums in the market. The issue of cost also comes up since it is much cheaper to produce Sesbania Gum powder. Apart from industrial use the powder is also used as incense. Therefore it has proved to be a truly better replacement. Know more about sesbania gum powder please visit: https://www.altrafine.com/sesbania-gum-powder.html

Ajit Patel
This Article has been written & posted by Ajit Patel.

Rise in Guar Gum Demand and Export in India in 2013
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Known also as guaran, guar gum is manufactured from guar seeds that are known for their excellent low-sheer viscosity properties. Guar gum has been applied as a stabilizing and thickening product in variety of industries such as oil/gas extraction industry. India is the largest supply of guar gum across the world, in terms of export (with increase of up to 139% on a year-on-year basis in exports). Large guar gum export India is because of its large demand in oil across the world. Last year, guar production in India saw the country join US and Pakistan as major producers in the world with over 80% total global production. Thus, guar gum exports from India into the global market are among the highest. The seed is ground in order to produce guar gum powder.

Guar Seed - Guar Gum Splits - Guar Gum Powder

Various Applications of Guar that create Demand for Guar in Indian and Global Market

A larger percentage of demand for guar from India is because of surge in oil and petroleum demand, because guar is mainly used in extraction of shale gas. Demand for guar in Indian and global market is high due to their superior qualities compared to other competing agents. For instance, it can serve as a binder, plasticizer and emulsifier, in addition to its application as a stabilizing and thickening agent. As a thickener, it has superior properties than corn starch. It is superior to other thickeners and stabilizers too in that it is more cost-effective. Guar is resistant to draught. It has found wide applications in the textile, oil and petroleum, pharmaceutical and explosives industries. It has also been effectively used in other industries such as cosmetics, mining and drilling, among others. It is also used in the water treatment operations, in addition to serving as a nourishing product for humans and animals. It has been found to lower insulin and blood glucose levels. Its varied application means it can be sold to people with various needs unlike many other cash crops. This means it has a more stable market. For instance, in farming, it can be applied as green fodder and manure. To know more applications of guar please visit: https://www.altrafine.com/guar_gum_powder_applications.html

Better Factors likely to improve Guar Production & Export in 2013

Guar production in India is in semi arid and sub-tropical areas and in sandy soils with some level of rainfall. It is a legume that will regenerate nitrogen in soil and can be used as a vegetable when green. Guar gum in India required handling with modern technologies to produce high quality guar gum powder and other products. Modern technology is required because care is needed to ensure that the nutritive nature is undisturbed and that the product remains hygienic. Guar Gum Powder - 2Production of guar gum in India will also be better if more investment is made in research for latest technology that handles processing activities and carries physio-chemical testing to avoid contamination and retain nutrients at every stage. Increasing guar gum export India requires that the government needs to open up the market and resist bans on futures as it was in 2012. In addition, the government (through the Forward Markets Commission) needs to allow people trading in guar, more limits (75%) and remove requirement to disclose source of funding. This will allow farmers to raise more capital for production of more guar, which is mainly being used in extraction of shale gas. The government also should come up with better policies and strategies that would control price speculations rather than result to methods that lower production. It should also come up with financial policies and export policies to support farmers as regards cheaper farming inputs and processing, because guar has great capability to help Indian economy.

Conclusion

In conclusion, guar has a high demand because of varied application, and also because of increase in demand for oil/gas since it is used in extraction. India, being the largest exporter of guar, also has ability to produce more. Thus, it is necessary for government to put measures such as avoiding a limit in production and selling of guar (such as removing ban on guar gum futures), as well as should support farmers to produce and export more.

Ajit Patel
This Article has been written & posted by Ajit Patel.

Applications of Hydrocolloids and Gums in Food
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Basic Introduction about Hydrocolloids

1a98fc220f851bea786acfdb33821f48Hydrocolloids in simple terms refer to substances that form a gel when they come into contact with water. They are usually referred to as gums. Hydrocolloids help control the thickening and gelling properties of aqueous foods. The most commonly used hydrocolloids in the food production industry include; cassia gum,sesbania gum, tamarind gum, guar gum, fenugreek gum, gelatin, Arabic gum et cetera. Hydrocolloids are organic and naturally occurring, some are extracted from tree sap, seaweed, seeds or roots among other sources.

Hydrocolloids in Food Applications

images12Hydrocolloids are widely used in the food industry because of their ability to alter flow properties of liquids, their gelling ability, their ability to cause oil droplets emulsification and they also prevent ice recrystallization. Hydrocolloids are used as thickening agents, emulsifiers, stabilizers and water retention agents in different food industries. These functions are listed below.

Thickening and agent- Hydrocolloids are added to foodstuffs such as sauces, gravies, instant soups, cake batters, jam and other salad dressings to promote evenly textured thickening. This is also applied to the processing of puddings and desserts.

Emulsification- the use of Hydrocolloids as emulsifiers helps prevent the separation of oil droplets from water. This is important when products such as margarine are produced as their ingredients contain both water and fats. The same case applies to the production of ice cream.

Stabilizer- the ability of Hydrocolloids to hold together components of a food product thus preventing physical changes from occurring makes it a great stabilizer. It increases the shelf life of processed foods, keeping them fresh for longer.

Crystallization inhibitor- Manufacturers of ice cream, candies, sugar syrups et cetera use Hydrocolloids such as guar gum to prevent ice crystallization. It also preserves dairy products by providing texture.

Water retention agent- Hydrocolloidssuch as guar gum powder are good at retaining moisture. This has vital applications in the baking industry to keep the dough from drying out. It also retains moistures in frozen foods. This is done to prevent syneresis.

Common Hydrocolloids

Guar Gum as a hydrocolloid

Guar gum is sourced from the guar plants’ seeds. It is a common Hydrocolloid that is used in the food production industry. It is a common additive that is used as a thickening and gelling agent, a natural food stabilizer, a moisture retention agent and an emulsifier. Guar gum for food is used extensively in production and processing of foodstuffs as various industries make use of its properties. To know more about guar gum please visit: https://www.altrafine.com/guar_gum_powder.html

Cassia Gum as Hydrocolloid

Unlike the guar gum, the use of cassia is largely limited to pet-food production. Cassia gum has properties of a thickening agent, texturizing agent and foam stabilizer, however, its use is largely confined to production of pet food.

Tamarind, Sesbania and Fenugreek as Hydrocolloids

Tamarind is largely used as a thickening agent. Its use is not very wide spread and different people use it for different reasons. It is used in soups, jams, ice creams and juices to increase thickness. Like tamarind, Sesbania and Fenugreek are used as thickening agents in sauces. Their general use is also not wide spread. They are mostly used differently by different communities around the world.

Conclusion

Hydrocolloids have numerous properties which can be used and are being used in the food industry. Their use has helped food processing industries produce quality products that last longer by preserving them using organic agents.

Ajit Patel
This Article has been written & posted by Ajit Patel.

Guar Gum – A Better Hydrocolloid than Xanthan Gum for use in Food Industry
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What are hydrocolloids?

imgf0003A hydrocolloid is a substance that will form a gel when put in water or when in contact with water. They are dispersed in water because they are hydrophilic polymers, and can form gels or liquid solutions depending on the amount of water present. They are used with aqueous foods to alter the functional properties of the latter. For instance, they can be used to prevent food having organoleptic properties and to prevent recrystallization. They can be applied in food to achieve certain thickening and gelling properties, termed as viscosity. They have also been applied to for emulsion stabilization. Sometimes they are naturally present in these foods or can be added to them. In food, they help in flavor perception depending on the degree of chain entanglement which determines the degree with which they mix with saliva. Hydrocolloids can also be used for adhesion, flocculation and suspension, as well as for forming films. Many hydrocolloids, including xantham and alginate are polyelectrolytes and thus can be defined by the properties of the latter. Reduced viscosity and good hydration properties of guar gum, Sesbania gum, cassia gum and tamarind gum make them useful in food industry.

Popular Hydrocolloids and comparison between xanthan gum and guar gum

gums-hydrocolloids-250x250There are many hydrocolloids, including the guar gum, cassia gum and the Sesbania gum. Others are tamarind gum, fenugreek gum and xanthan gum, among others. Cassia gum is soluble in water and will reach full viscosity in aqueous solutions on heating. Sesbania gum can form a solution in both cold and hot water while tamarind gum dissolves in hot water. The xanthan gum is made through fermentation while fenugreek gum can be used in forming and is also soluble in water. Guar and xanthan gums are the most common gums used as hydrocolloids. Guar gum powder is used for thickening and forming pastries, among other uses. Generally, guar gum will be considered better than xanthan because it is a natural product made from seed when xanthan is made through fermentation. In terms of properties, guar gum performs better than other additives because of superior thickening and stabilizing properties.

Guar gum powder has wider applications than cassia gum, sesbania gum, tamarind gum and fenugreek gum. A lot of healthy disorders and problems have been associated with consumption of xanthan compared to guar gum for food. For instance, it is posited that gastric distress occur because corn, from which xanthan is extracted, is sometimes altered through genetic engineering. In terms of cost, many will find guar gum for food, a better choice that xanthan. Some people will develop allergy for xanthan, in addition to its ability to cause gas, diarrhea and blotting. Xanthan is not recommended for people who have allergies to corn products. In addition, guar gum can be produced at home through easier processes compared to xanthan.

For more details please visit: https://www.altrafine.com

Conclusion

In conclusion, hydrocolloids are products dispersed in water to either form a solution or gel. Guar gum and xanthan are more common than other hydrocolloids and guar gum is considered better because of its being natural, healthier to use (fewer healthy-related problems), superior properties and wider applications.

Ajit Patel
This Article has been written & posted by Ajit Patel.

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