Guar Gum in the Dairy Industry

It may be surprising that guar gum is widely used in the dairy industry, but almost any dairy product removed from a grocery store’s refrigerated or frozen section contains this important ingredient. Let Bell Chem, your food ingredient supplier, tell you about the varied uses of guar gum in many dairy products.

How it works

Guar gum is an inexpensive hydrocolloid polysaccharide with a short hydration time, making it ideal for frozen treats. Closely related to string beans, this legume seems an odd ingredient in dairy foods, but its varied uses give it top billing in many manufactured treats.

Ice cream

Guar gum prevents the formation of ice crystals in ice cream, slows melting, and stabilizes the texture even after it is repeatedly frozen and thawed. It also creates a better mouthfeel because of its rheological behavior. Milkshakes without guar gum would quickly separate into distinct layers and show a much weaker viscosity. 

Dietary products

Because guar gum is a fiber, it is often added to milk-based dietary products to give a feeling of satiation to the consumer.

Yogurt

As yogurt is produced, whey rises to the top for easy separation. However, a small amount of the watery whey remains locked in the yogurt until the weight of the solid forces the liquid whey to the surface once more. To prevent this syneresis, which changes the overall texture of the yogurt, manufacturers add guar gum. Low-fat yogurt maintains its characteristic richness and body when guar gum both replaces fat and adds fiber.

Cheeses and cheese spreads

Much like yogurt, cheeses and cheese spreads contain guar gum as a stabilizer via water-phase management to give a better texture and body as it counters whey from forming on the exterior (weeping). It is also used as a fat replacement for low-fat and fat-free yogurt.

Puddings and mousses

In puddings, guar gum acts as a thickener and increases a pudding’s viscosity. Mousses and other aerated desserts form a firmer stabilized foam gel with the addition of guar gum, lifting whipped mousses to a new level.

Bell Chem is a food ingredient supplier based in Longwood, FL (just north of Orlando) with hundreds of products stocked in their 50,000+ square-foot warehouse, including guar gum. You can expect the highest quality products, expedited shipping options for maximum efficiency, and unrivaled personalized customer service. Let our knowledgeable and friendly customer service representatives and accounting staff personalize all your needs by either calling 407-339-BELL (2355) or by sending us an online message.