Comparison of hydrocolloid properties:
Keywords: gellan,low acyl gellan,high acyl gellan,guar gum,bean gum,E418,E412,E425,LA,HA
| Name | gellan (E418) low acyl (LA) | gellan (E418) high acyl (HA) | guar gum (E412) | konjac glucomannan (E425) | locust (carob) bean gum (E410) |
| Origin | polysaccharide obtained by fermentation of Sphingomonas elodea | polysaccharide obtained by fermentation of Sphingomonas elodea | polysaccharide extracted from the seeds of the legume Cyamopsis tetragonolobus | polysaccharide extracted from the tuber Lasioideae Amorphophallus | polysaccharide extracted from the seeds of the legume Ceratonia siliqua |
| Properties, texture | thermoirreversible, hard, brittle gel; sodium/potassium ions give thermoreversible gels | thermoreversible, soft, elastic gel; thickener if not heated | very stable, quick acting thickener, suitable for suspending particles | shear-thinning viscous sol. with fatty mouth feel; thermoreversible elastic gels w. xanthan/kappa carrageenan;thermoirreversible gels at pH 9-10 | thickener, often used in ice cream; elastic gel in 1:1 ratio with xanthan |
| Clarity | transparent | opaque | transparent | transparent | |
| Dispersion | cold water; d. is improved (allowing add. to hot solutions) by mixing with sugar (3-5x), glycerol, alcohol or oils (3-5x); hard water promotes d. | cold water; d. is improved (allowing add. to hot solutions) by mixing with sugar (3-5x), glycerol, alcohol or oils (3-5x); hard water promotes d. | cold water, d. is improved by mixing with sugar (3-5x) or small amounts of alcohol | cold water; d. can be improved by mixing with sugar or flour (3-5x). | cold water; d. can be improved by mixing with sugar (3-5x). |
| Hydration (dissolution) | 90-95 °C; keep pH > 3.9; add sugar after hydration; inhibited in presence of sodium and calcium, but 0.1-0.3% sodium citrate helps | 85-95 °C; can be hydrated at pH < 4; less sensitive to ions; add sugar after hydration | cold or hot water | cold water with continuous stirring for at least 2h | > 90 °C |
| pH | 4-10 | 3-10 | 4-10 | ~3-10 | 4-10 |
| Setting | 10-60 °C, rapid (minutes) | 70-80 °C | gelling: pH >9 followed by heating > 80 °C | ||
| Melting | does not melt | 70-80 °C | w. xanthan: yes, alkaline gels: no | ||
| Promoter | gelling promoted by calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium and acids | gelling is not sensitive to ions | xanthan, kappa carrageenan | will only gel in presence of agar, kappa carrageenan or xanthan | |
| Inhibitor | will not hydrate at pH < 3.9 or with sodium/calcium salts present | low pH, alcohol | viscosity decreases with decreasing pH; gelling occurs at higher pH. | ||
| Tolerates | salts, acidic foods | salt and sugar | salt, acidic foods | ||
| Viscosity of solution | low | high | high in cold low in hot | low temperature: high high temperature: lower | low temperature: high highest viscosity obtained > 60 °C |
| Typical concentration | 0.4-0.7% for gels (self supporting from 0.05%); [0.03-2.6%]* | 0.4-0.7% for gels (self supporting from 0.2%); [0.03-2.6%]* | 0.2-0.5% (very sticky solutions above 1%); [0.14-0.67%]* | 0.1-0.3% for viscous solutions; [0.39-1.1%]* | 0.1-1.0%; [0.32-0.9%]* |
| Synergies | locust bean gum, xanthan | xanthan, kappa carrageenan, locust bean gum | xanthan, kappa carrageenan | ||
| Syneresis | no (if left untouched) | no |
