Guar Gum is derived from the seeds of the Guar plant “Cyamopsis tetragonalobus”. It is an annual plant, about 4 feet high, vertically stalked, with large leaves and clusters of bean-like pods. Each pod is about 5-8 CMS long and has on an average 6-9 small, grayish-white pea shaped seeds. Guar is a hardy, drought resistant bush, which grows well in the semi arid areas of west and north-west India and parts of Pakistan. Guar grows best in sandy soils, If needs moderate, intermittent rainfall with lots of sunshine. Too much precipitation can cause the plant to become more “ leafy” thereby reducing the number of pods and/or the number of seeds per pod, which affects the size, and yield of seeds. The crop is sown after the first rains in July and harvested in late October. The Pods are then sun dried, manually separated from the seeds and the seeds are supplied to the industry for processing. Tender green Guar pods are also consumed as a vegetable and cattle-feed in India.

The Guar seeds are dicotyledonous having a diameter of about 2.0-3.0 mm. The seeds make-up about 60 % -70 % of the pod weight. The germ is completely enveloped by the 2 halves of the endosperm, and if is the endosperm that is the source of the gum. The tough seed skin or husk is of a fibrous nature, composed of compressed thin layers of cellulosic material.

The gum is commercially extracted from the seeds essentially by a mechanical process of roasting, differential attrition, sieving and polishing.The seeds are broken and the germ is separated from the endosperm . 2 halves of the endosperm are obtained from each seed and are known as Undehusked Guar Splits. When the fine layer of fibrous material, which forms the husk, is removed and separated from the endosperm hales by polishing, Refined Guar Splits are obtained. The husk and germ are rich in protein and form a valuable cattle-feed. The larger germ particles have a high content of oil and albuminoids (o&a) – about 55% The smaller germ particles have an o & a content of about 40% and the husk about 25% o & a. Various standardized blends of these “Guar meals” can be made to achieve standard o &a contents. Guar meal may also be toasted to reduce odour and remove trypsin inhibitors. This is known as toasted Guar meal and is sold in the international markets. This product is usually standardized of 45% o&a content.

The refined Guar splits are then treated and finished into powders by a variety of routes and processing techniques depending upon the end product desired. High purity Guar gums like Guar gum for foods. Feeds and pharmaceutical applications can be produced in many different viscosities hydration to suit specific applications. Various modified/derivatised Guar gums such as hydrolyzed, hydroxyalkyl, carboxyalkyl, oxidised, sulphated, borated, cationic and various combination of these are commercially useful for a number of industry applications.

Due to guar gum’s excellent cold and hot water solubility, if can be very effectively used in instant products like soup and sauce mixes, instant drinks and desserts.

• Guar gum is also used in various restructured or fabricated foods for better water retention and paste workability and integrity before the final structuring of the fabricated food. Guar gum is also used as an additive in food extrusion applications due to its excellent water holding and friction reducing capabilities.
• Guar gum’s capabilities to retain moisture and prevent sugar recrystallisation are taken advantage of in icings, glazes, frozen whipped toppings and breading.
• Guar gum is also used in the preparation of noodles and pasta products in pickles and relishes and in canned sea foods,
• Fish feed formulations incorporate guar gum in the dry - mix which aids in the making of on excellent homogeneous fish feed paste when reconstituted with water and fresh minced fish. Guar gum is also used as a binder in feed pellets.

Guar gum, besides its major function of water retention viscosifying and thickening is also finding increased use in foods as :

• A source of natural water-soluble fiber.
• To improve mouthfeel and texture in low fat/no fat foods, especially in combination with certain starches and other hydrocolloids like micro-crystalline cellulose. In slimming aids and dietetic foods.
• In products requiring “all natural” labeling.
• As a binder, firm former and protective colloid.
• As a stabilizer in sour dairy products.

In pharmaceuticals, guar gum finds use in :

• Tablets, as a binding and disintegrating agent.
• As a controlled release agent in drug formulations.
• As a slimming and appetite control agent.
• Diabetic formulations for controlling blood sugar level.
• Cholesterol reducing formulations.
• Antacids.
• Suspensions and syrups.
• Laxative formulations.
• Tooth pastes.