The key difference between guar gum and partially hydrolyzed guar gum is that guar gum is a polysaccharide obtained from guar beans, whereas partially hydrolyzed guar gum is a derivative of guar gum made via microbial beta-endo mannanase, which reduces the high viscosity of guar gum.
Although both guar gum and partially hydrolyzed guar gum are derived from the same plant, they are very different from each other.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Guar Gum
3. What is Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum
4. Guar Gum vs Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum in Tabular Form
5. Summary – Guar Gum vs Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum
What is Guar Gum?
Guar gum is a galactomannan polysaccharide that can be extracted from guar beans. It is also known as guaran, and it has thickening and stabilizing properties that are useful in food, feed, and industrial applications. These seeds are mechanically dehusked, hydrated, milled, and screened as required. Typically, it is produced as a free-flowing, off-white powder.
Generally, guar beans can be found in India, Pakistan, the USA, Australia, and Africa, where this plant is grown. For example, India produces around 2.5 – 3.0 million tons of guar every year. It is the largest proportion of the world’s production. It stands for about 65% of the total production. Comparatively, the USA has produced about 4600-14000 tons over the past five years.
When considering the chemical properties of guar gum, it is an exo-polysaccharide consisting of sugars galactose and mannose. It has a backbone with a linear chain of beta-1,4-linked mannose portions. Galactose portions are linked to these mannose portions via 1,6-links (at every second mannose). This produces short side branches. Moreover, this material has the ability to withstand up to 80 degrees Celsius for about 5 minutes.
Figure 01: The Chemical Structure of Guar Gum
The solubility and viscosity of guar gum are more than locust bean gum because of the extra galactose branch points. However, it is not self-gelling, unlike locust bean gum. Besides, borax or calcium forms cross-links with guar gum can cause gel formation. In the presence of water, it occurs as nonionic and hydrocolloidal. Ionic strength and pH cannot affect this material, but they can degrade in the presence of extreme pH and temperature levels. However, guar gum remains stable in a solution over a pH range of 5-7.
What is Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum?
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum is a water-soluble dietary fiber having a wide range of uses in clinical nutrition. It has a low viscosity, which allows it to be used in enteral products and beverages. We can denote it as PHGG. We can add this material to enteral formulas and food products as a dietary fiber source.
In general, partially hydrolyzed guar gum is considered safe and effective in the promotion of gut health. This material is important in treating irritable bowel syndrome, constipation, as well as IBS-diarrhea in both adults and children. Moreover, partially hydrolyzed guar gum is considered a prebiotic fiber.
When considering the production method, it is prepared from guar gum via microbial beta-endo mannanase by reducing the high viscosity of guar gum. The average molar mass of this material is 20,000 Da which can range from 1000 to 100,000 Da.
What is the Difference Between Guar Gum and Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum?
The key difference between guar gum and partially hydrolyzed guar gum is that guar gum is a polysaccharide obtained from guar beans. Meanwhile, partially hydrolyzed guar gum is a derivative of guar gum made via microbial beta-endo mannanase.
The below infographic presents the differences between guar gum and partially hydrolyzed guar gum in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Guar Gum vs Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum
The key difference between guar gum and partially hydrolyzed guar gum is that guar gum is a polysaccharide obtained from guar beans, whereas partially hydrolyzed guar gum is a derivative of guar gum made via microbial beta-endo mannanase, which reduces the high viscosity of guar gum.
Reference:
1. “Guar Gum: Health Benefits, Side Effects, Uses, Dose & Precautions.” RxList, RxList, 11 June 2021.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Guaran” By Yikrazuul – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia