Ingredient Information

Function

Vegetable gum is a powder or resin that is used in the food industry as a gelling agent, thickener, texturizer, stabilizer, humectant, binding agent and also to increase shelf life. Vegetable gum has the property to absorb many times its weight in water. There are many types of vegetable gum. Agar agar is a gum used to gel dairy products like yogurt. Cellulose gum is often an ingredient in ice creams, beverages and baked goods. Xanthan gum, used to increase shelf life, is found in salad dressings, sauces and pie fillings. Guar gum is 80-85% fiber and is added to breads to provide soluble fiber. Locust bean gum, also called carob gum, is used to thicken puddings and dairy products. Pectin is widely used as a gelling agent in fruit-based jams and confections and as a stabilizer in yogurt.

Other Use and Industries

Vegetable gums are used in cosmetics such as shaving creams, facial scrubs and shampoos. They act as gelling agents, thickeners, humectants and binders. Vegetable gum, especially guar gum, is used medicinally as a source of dietary fiber.

Health Effects

Some vegetable gums are a great source of fiber. In particular, guar gum is used as a fiber supplement to aid in digestion and help with irritable bowel syndrome. Vegetable gums are gluten free. They may be useful in lowering blood sugar and reducing heart disease. There are no significant side effects to consuming vegetable gums.

Origins

Vegetable gums are natural polysaccharides derived from a variety of vegetable and plant sources including beans, fruits and seaweeds. Xanthan gum is derived from the bacterial coat of Xanthomonas campestris, and is made by the process of microbial fermentation. Cellulose gum is a water soluble gum that is made from plant fiber. Guar gum, which comes from the guar bean, is mainly produced in India. Locust bean gum, also called carob gum, comes from the carob bean seed. Pectin, a vegetable gum, is obtained from citrus fruits and other fruits sources, such as apple peels. Acacia gum, made from the hardened sap of the acacia tree, comes from Arabia and West Asia.