Guar Gum Powder Application in Cheese Processing

Guar Gum is extracted from pods of the plant called cluster beans. This plant is known by several names like cluster beans, guar plant, etc., the seeds of which consist of three parts, a germ, endosperm and husk. The process involves the removal of husk, milling and filtering. This plant is native to the tropical region of Asia, in countries like India, Pakistan, United States and Australia.

This article goes on to describe the unique properties of Guar gum powder and how it is vital to the food industry. It also explains its application for Cheese processing.

Properties & Applications

Guar Gum Powder has many useful properties and applications as listed here:

Thickening agent, emulsifier and stabilizer.
Attain extremely high viscosity even with low concentrations and hydrate rapidly in cold water.
Displays strong hydrogen bonding & film-forming properties.
Insoluble in many organic solvents.
Soluble in cold & hot water.
Displays resistance to oils, many solvents and greases.
Applications in the mining & petroleum drilling industry.
Used in textile manufacturing and food industry.
Excellent viscosity control
It is highly compatible with hydrocolloids.

Use of Guar Gum Powder in the Food Industry

There are widespread applications in the food industry as listed here:

It is useful for Ice creams and other dairy products since it has the ability to provide a smooth and creamy texture and at the same time prevents from the formation of ice crystals which can result in a quick meltdown.
It has an amazing ability to add texture and provide structure to bakery products which helps increase their shelf like and also help provide better moisture retention & increase the dough yield.
It is also highly beneficial for noodles where it offers better sheet formation & texture too.
The ability to absorb water and prevent excessive stickiness makes it invaluable for food products like pastry ices.
Improve the texture and flavour in processed cheese.
Helps control the viscosity and improve the feel of beverages.
Increase thickener and stabilizer for soups.
Vital for meat products; for example, it is useful as a binder in sausages.

Cheese Processing by using Guar Gum

One of the most popular milk products is cheese, it is also very popular in a large number of receipts for the purpose of garnishing, creating a grainy food texture and provide stability and flavour. It helps with several vital processes like preventing syneresis, aid in obtaining a creamy cheese texture. The process of preventing syneresis is necessary for the production of cheese;

Syneresis process is when the water drains out from the gel-like product. Guar Gum Powder is the optimal substance to help prevent this since it works against it. This process is often referred to as the filtration process and is widely used for the production of many milk-based products. This includes milk products like cheese, yoghurt, margarine, and many others.

It is vital to prevent the process of syneresis since failure to do so can result in the inability to receive the desired texture of cheese. Thus Guar Gum Power effectively helps cheese remain soft and have the right texture by preventing syneresis process. Besides which it also helps cheese products by ensuring a good look and feel (consistent texture). It increases the chance of cheese remaining uniform, retaining its thickness and be consistent in taste. One of the other benefits of using Guar Gum Power for this purpose that it can help achieve all of this at the same time not affect the taste for the product.