Saturday, May 16, 2015

GUAR?

1) What is Guar? 

Guar or cluster bean (sometimes clusterbean) (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba (syn. C. psoralioides), Fabaceae)
is an annual legume plant that grows in semiarid regions. Guar is drought-tolerant and can be eaten green
like snap beans, fed to cattle or used as a green manure. It bears many bean-like pods, each of which
contains six to nine small, rounded seeds. The guar seed is typically made up of 40% to 46% germ, 38% to
45% endosperm, and 14% to 16% husk. The gum is obtained from the grounded endosperm.

2) What is Guar Gum?

Guar gum, a natural gum, is an edible thickening agent extracted from the guar bean. Guar beans have a
large endosperm which contains galactomannan gum which forms a gel in water. This is commonly known
as guar gum and is widely used Food and industrial applications. Guar gum has also proven a useful
substitute for locust bean gum.

3) How is Guar Gum prepared? 

Guar gum is prepared by removing the husk and germ portions before extracting the gum from the
endosperm.

4) What is Guar Gum mainly used as? 

Guar Gum is mainly used as natural thickener, emulsifier, stabilizer, bonding agent, hydrocolloid, gelling
agent, soil stabilizer, natural fiber, flocculants and fracturing agent.

5) What are the properties of Guar gum? 

Guar gum is soluble in hot and cold water but insoluble in most organic solvents and has strong hydrogen
bonding properties. It has excellent thickening, Emulsion, Stabilizing and film forming properties. It is
compatible with a variety of inorganic and organic substances including certain dyes and various
constituents of food.

6) How Guar gum powder is prepared? 

The seeds of Guar are split and the endosperm & germ is separated from the endosperm by sieving.
Through heating, grinding & polishing process the husk is separated from the endosperm halves and the
refined Guar Gum split are obtained. Through grinding process the refined Guar split are then treated and
converted into powder.

7) Which are the grades of Guar Gum Powder? 

There are two types of Guar Gum Powder
1) Food grade Guar Gum Powder
2) Industrial grade Guar Gum Powder

8) What are the factors to be considered for different grade Guar Gum Powder? 

The grade of Guar Gum Powder depends upon: active matter content, granulation, viscosity, pH and
degree of substitution.

9) What are the Physical Characteristics of Guar Gum Powder?

Guar Gum is a white to yellowish white powder and is nearly odorless. Fine finished Guar Gum Powder is
available in different viscosities and granulometries depending on the desired viscosity development and
applications.
10) In which food industries Guar gum is mainly used? 

Guar gum is mainly used in food industries for frozen food products, baked food products, dairy products,
sauces & salad preparations, confections, beverages, pet food etc. 11

11) In which other industries Guar gum is used? 

Guar gum is widely used in textile industry, paper industry, explosives industry, oil and gas drilling, mining,
construction, pharmaceutical, cosmetic industries and many other industries.

12) Which country mainly produced Guar? 

Guar crop is produced in the India, Pakistan, Sudan, USA, South Africa, Brazil, Malawi, Zaire and Australia.
13) Which country is the major producer of Guar? 

India is the major producer of Guar. India produces approximately 80% of world’s total production.
Pakistan follows India with 10 - 15% share in the world’s total production.

14) What is the height of Guar Plant? 

Guar plant is a rough to touch, bushy plant that has the ability to dwell even in the drought like conditions.
This small, purple flowered, pointed leaved plant ranges from 2-9 feet in height. It is consumed as a bean,
livestock fed and also in the form of manure in the fields.

15) What is the sowing and harvesting period of Guar? 

 The sowing period is in the months July and August right after the first shower of the monsoon.
 The harvesting period is in the months October and November.
Guar is clearly a rain dependent crop. If the rainfall levels fluctuate during the year, it strongly influences
the yield of the crop.

16) Who is the major exporter of Guar Gum? 

India, Pakistan, USA, Italy, Morocco, Spain, France, Greece, Germany are the major exporter of Guar Gum

17) Who is the major importer of Guar Gum? 

Canada, China, Chile, Australia, Austria, Brazil, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom, USA, Ireland,
Sweden, Greece, Portugal, Mexico are the major importer of Guar gum.

18) What is thickening agent or thickener? Is Guar gum used as a thickening agent? 

Yes, Guar gum is widely used as a thickening agent.
Thickening agents, or thickeners, are substances which, when added to the mixture, increase its viscosity
without substantially modifying its other properties, like taste. They provide body, increase stability, and
improve suspending action. Thickening agents are often food additives.

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