Properties

Safety Information

Description

Background. Guar gum, like locust bean gum, is a galactomannan derived from the seed of a leguminous plant. The source of guar, Cyamopsis tetragonolobus, is widely grown in Pakistan and India as cattle feed, and was introduced to the United States as a cover crop in 1903. The U.S. is now also a producer. It was not until 1953, however, that guar gum was produced on a commercial scale, primarily as a replacement for locus bean gum in the paper, textile and food industries. The most important property of guar is the ability to hydrate rapidly in cold water to attain a very high viscosity. In addition to the food industry, guar is used in the mining, paper, textile, ceramic, paint, cosmetic, pharmaceutical, explosive, and other industries.
Sources, Harvesting, and Producing Areas. The guar is a hardy and drought-resistant plant which grows three to six feet high with vertical stalks. The guar pods, which grow in clusters along the vertical stems, are about six inches long and contain 6 to 9 seeds, which are considerably smaller than locus bean seeds. As in the case of locust bean gum, the endosperm, which comprises 35-42%.