Application of guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba L.) gum in food technologies: A review of properties and mechanisms of action

Abstract With the world continuing to push toward modernization and the consumption of processed foods growing at an exponential rate, the demand for texturizing agents and natural additives has also risen as a result. It has become increasingly common to use thickening agents in food products to modify their rheological and textural properties and enhance their quality characteristics. They can be divided into (1) animal derived (chitosan and isinglass), (2) fermentation produced (xanthan and curdlan), (3) plant fragments (pectin and cellulose), (4) seaweed extracts (agar and alginate), and (5) seed flours (guar gum and locust bean gum). The primary functions of these materials are to improve moisture binding capacity, modify structural properties, and alter flow behavior. In addition, some have another responsibility in the food sector, such as the main ingredient in the delivery systems (encapsulation) and nanocomposites. A galactomannan polysaccharide extracted from guar beans ( Cyamopsis tetragonolobus ), known as guar gum (GG), is one of them, which has a wide range of utilities and possesses popularity among scientists and consumers. In the world of modernization, GG has found its way into numerous industries for use in food, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, textiles, and explosives. Due to its ability to form hydrogen bonds with water molecules, it imparts significant thickening, gelling, and binding properties to the solution as well as increases its viscosity. Therefore, this study is aimed to investigate the characteristics, mechanisms, and applications of GG in different food technologies.