EPL Bio Analytical Services

Excellence, Passion and Leadership in Agriculture

  • Home
  • Who We Are
    • Our Story
    • Join Our Team
    • Contact Our Team
  • What We Do
    • Agricultural Chemistry
    • Nutritional Chemistry
    • Molecular Biology
    • Customized Analytical Support
    • Feed and Feed Ingredients
  • How We Do It
    • Technology Tour
    • Instrumentation
    • Quality Management Systems
    • Lab Services
    • Facility Monitoring & Backup
  • Who We Serve
    • Crop Protection Industry
    • Feed and Feed Ingredients
  • What’s New
    • Blog
    • News
    • Papers, Posters, Presentations
    • References
    • Organizations We Support
      • Industries We Support
      • Local and Regional Industries
      • Technical
  • Client Portal
  • Data Portal
  • Agricultural Chemistry
  • Nutritional Chemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Customized Analytical Support
  • Feed and Feed Ingredients
You are here: Home / Blog / What in the World is Guar? by Matt Patricio

What in the World is Guar? by Matt Patricio

April 6, 2017 by admin

Cluster Bean

Guar Plant

Guar gum, also called guaran, is a polysaccharide composed of the sugars galactose and mannose produced from guar beans. The guar plant, an annual legume, is currently grown mostly in India and Pakistan. However, high demand has resulted in the introduction of cultivation of guar in new areas. In the United States, production has gone from 4,600 metric tons to 14,000 tons of guar in the last five years. In Texas alone, acreage has fluctuated from about 7,000 to over 50,000 acres since 1999. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled, and screened to obtain the guar gum, which is typically sold as a free-flowing, off-white powder.  

There are a variety of applications for guar gum spanning several industries. The largest of these markets is the food industry.  Guar gum is used as a thickening agent in foods and beverages and a stabilizing, suspending, or binding agent in items such as soup, jam, salad dressing, and ice cream. Also, guar gum is one of the most frequently used gums in gluten-free recipes and gluten-free products. Today it is estimated that food-industry applications of this product account for the vast majority of the world’s supply of guar gum–on average over 70%. 

In manufacturing, guar gum is used as a thickening agent in lotions and creams and as a binding agent in tablets. Additionally, the industrial demand is on the rise rapidly due to the use of guar gum in hydraulic fracturing, for the production of oil shale gas. 

Currently, at EPL, we test guar gum for volatile aldehydes concentrations using GC-MS analysis. We are also currently working on a method to test alpha-amylase activity in Xanthan gum, a product with similar properties to guar gum.

facebookShare on Facebook
TwitterTweet

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: alpha-amylase, Cluster Bean, guar gum, Volatile aldehydes, xanthan gum

Blog

30 YEARS OF SERVICE TO THE AG INDUSTRY

June 29, 2017

What in the World is Guar? by Matt Patricio

April 6, 2017

Rapid and Sensitive Analysis of Soil, Water Feed and Food for Glyphosate and Glufosinate Residues

December 15, 2016

EPL BAS in the news again!

October 11, 2016

We are proud to be part of the Decatur Illinois community – home to the Midwest Inland Port. Watch this video to catch a glimpse of our lab in action!

July 21, 2016

See More Blog Posts

News

EPL Provides Support for Golden Rice Project

May 14, 2020

EPL BAS Wins Global Agrow Award for Best Supporting Role

November 22, 2017

EPL Bio Analytical Services Selects SCIEX QTRAP 6500+ LC-MS System with SelexION Differential Mobility Separation Technology Device

July 12, 2017

Dow and EPL BAS Sign License Agreement for New Technology

August 3, 2016

EPL BAS Named Finalist for Annual Agrow Award

July 18, 2016

See More News Posts

Areas of Expertise

  • Agricultural Chemistry
  • Nutritional Chemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Customized Analytical Support
  • Feed and Feed Ingredients

What Our Customers Say

"WOW! That was quick! Thanks so much!"

Read More

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Services

  • Agricultural Chemistry
  • Nutritional Chemistry
  • Feed and Feed Ingredients
  • Contaminants
  • Molecular Biology
  • Customized Analytical Support
  • Method Development and Validation

Contact Us

EPL Bio Analytical Services
9095 West Harristown Blvd
Niantic, IL 62551-9752

Google Maps Street View

Toll Free: 1-866-963-2143

© EPL Bio Analytical Services • 9095 West Harristown Blvd, Niantic, IL 62551 • 1-866-963-2143
7ads6x98y