Guar
Encyclopedia
The guar/guwar/guvar bean or cluster bean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) is an annual legume and the source of guar gum
. It grows best under conditions with frequent rainfall, but tolerates arid conditions well. About 80% of world production occurs in India
, but, due to strong demand, the plant is being introduced into new areas. It is known as गवार् gawaar in Hindi and Marathi, గోరు చిక్కుడు goruchikkudu kaya or gokarakaya in Telugu
, gorikayie in Kannada, and kotthavarai (கொத்தவரைக்காய்) in Tamil
.
regions. 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 that affects the size and yield of seeds. The crop is sown after the first rains in July and harvested in late October. It is grown principally in northwestern India
, and Pakistan,punjab mianwali harnoli with smaller crops grown in the semiarid areas of the high plains of Texas in the USA
, Australia
and Africa
. The most important growing area centres on Jodhpur
in Rajasthan
, India.
Currently, India is the source of about 80% of the world production of guar gum. Several commercial growers have converted their crops to guar production to support the increasing demand for guar and other organic crops in the United States.
Varieties: Pusa Naubahar and Pusa Sadabahar. Seeds at the rate of 10 to 12 kilograms/hectare
(9–11 lb
/acre
) are planted at a spacing of 45-60 x 20–30 cm (18–24 x 8–12 in) in February–March and June–July. During rainy season, the seeds are sown 2–3 cm (~1 in) deep on ridges and in furrows during summer months. FYM is applied at the rate of 25 tonnes/ha (11.1 tons
/acre). N, P2O5 and K2O recommendation for the crop is 20:60:80 kg/ha (18:53:71 lb/acre). Average yield is 5 to 6 tonnes/ha (2.2–2.6 tons/acre).
, but is more important as the source of guar gum. Guar beans have a large endosperm
that contains galactomannan
gum, a substance which forms a gel
in water. This is commonly known as guar gum
and is used in dairy products like ice cream
and as a stabilizer in cheese
and cold-meat processing.
Another use is as a fiber supplement. After being partially hydrolyzed, guar gum is completely soluble in water and soft food. Being approximately 75% dietary fiber, it allows fiber to be added to a food with a minimal effect on taste and texture.
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is produced by the partial enzymatic hydrolysis
of guaran, the galactomannan
of the endosperm of guar seeds (guar gum
). It is a neutral polysaccharide
consisting of a mannose
backbone chain with single galactose
side units occurring on almost two out of every three mannose units. The average molecular weight is about 25,000 Daltons
. This gives a PHGG that still assays and functions as a soluble dietary fiber. PHGG as sold commercially is completely soluble, acid and heat stable, unaffected by ions, and will not gel at high concentrations. PHGG is fully fermentable in the large bowel, with a high rate of volatile fatty acid formation. The pH of the feces is lowered along with an increase in fecal bulk that mainly consists of bacterial cell mass and water. Clinical studies have demonstrated a prebiotic
effect of PHGG. Studies have also shown PHGG can be used to maintain regularity. PHGG is used in foods for particulate suspension, emulsification, antistaling
, ice crystal control, and reduced fat baked goods.
of oil and gas formations. Guar gum is often crosslinked with boron or chromium ions to make it more stable and heat resistant. The crosslinking of guar with metal ions results in linear gel that does not block the formation and helps efficiently in formation cleaning process. The borate - guar reaction is reversible, and depends on the pH (hydrogen ion concentration) of the solution. Crosslinking of guar with borate happens at high pH (approximately 9-10) of solution. Guar gum has also proven a useful substitute for locust bean gum
(made from carob seeds).
Sugaring paste
used for epilation
may include guar as an ingredient.
Guar gum
Guar gum, also called guaran, is a galactomannan. It is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled and screened to obtain the guar gum. It is typically produced as a free-flowing, pale, off-white-colored, coarse to fine ground powder.-Production:Guar gum is an...
. It grows best under conditions with frequent rainfall, but tolerates arid conditions well. About 80% of world production occurs in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, but, due to strong demand, the plant is being introduced into new areas. It is known as गवार् gawaar in Hindi and Marathi, గోరు చిక్కుడు goruchikkudu kaya or gokarakaya in Telugu
Telugu language
Telugu is a Central Dravidian language primarily spoken in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India, where it is an official language. It is also spoken in the neighbouring states of Chattisgarh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Orissa and Tamil Nadu...
, gorikayie in Kannada, and kotthavarai (கொத்தவரைக்காய்) in Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
.
Cultivation
For best growth, the guar bean requires full sunshine, flashing rainfalls that are moderately frequent, and well-drained soil. However, it is extremely drought-tolerant and thrives in semiaridArid
A region is said to be arid when it is characterized by a severe lack of available water, to the extent of hindering or even preventing the growth and development of plant and animal life...
regions. 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 that affects the size and yield of seeds. The crop is sown after the first rains in July and harvested in late October. It is grown principally in northwestern India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Pakistan,punjab mianwali harnoli with smaller crops grown in the semiarid areas of the high plains of Texas in the USA
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. The most important growing area centres on Jodhpur
Jodhpur
Jodhpur , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Rajasthan. It is located west from the state capital, Jaipur and from the city of Ajmer. It was formerly the seat of a princely state of the same name, the capital of the kingdom known as Marwar...
in Rajasthan
Rajasthan
Rājasthān the land of Rajasthanis, , is the largest state of the Republic of India by area. It is located in the northwest of India. It encompasses most of the area of the large, inhospitable Great Indian Desert , which has an edge paralleling the Sutlej-Indus river valley along its border with...
, India.
Currently, India is the source of about 80% of the world production of guar gum. Several commercial growers have converted their crops to guar production to support the increasing demand for guar and other organic crops in the United States.
Varieties: Pusa Naubahar and Pusa Sadabahar. Seeds at the rate of 10 to 12 kilograms/hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
(9–11 lb
Pound (mass)
The pound or pound-mass is a unit of mass used in the Imperial, United States customary and other systems of measurement...
/acre
Acre
The acre is a unit of area in a number of different systems, including the imperial and U.S. customary systems. The most commonly used acres today are the international acre and, in the United States, the survey acre. The most common use of the acre is to measure tracts of land.The acre is related...
) are planted at a spacing of 45-60 x 20–30 cm (18–24 x 8–12 in) in February–March and June–July. During rainy season, the seeds are sown 2–3 cm (~1 in) deep on ridges and in furrows during summer months. FYM is applied at the rate of 25 tonnes/ha (11.1 tons
Short ton
The short ton is a unit of mass equal to . In the United States it is often called simply ton without distinguishing it from the metric ton or the long ton ; rather, the other two are specifically noted. There are, however, some U.S...
/acre). N, P2O5 and K2O recommendation for the crop is 20:60:80 kg/ha (18:53:71 lb/acre). Average yield is 5 to 6 tonnes/ha (2.2–2.6 tons/acre).
Food
Guar can be eaten as a green beanGreen bean
Green beans , also known as French beans , are the unripe fruit of any kind of bean, including the yardlong bean, the hyacinth bean, the winged bean, and especially the common bean , whose pods are also usually called string beans in the northeastern and western United States, but can also be...
, but is more important as the source of guar gum. Guar beans have a large endosperm
Endosperm
Endosperm is the tissue produced inside the seeds of most flowering plants around the time of fertilization. It surrounds the embryo and provides nutrition in the form of starch, though it can also contain oils and protein. This makes endosperm an important source of nutrition in human diet...
that contains galactomannan
Galactomannan
Galactomannans are polysaccharides consisting of a mannose backbone with galactose side groups Galactomannans are polysaccharides consisting of a mannose backbone with galactose side groups Galactomannans are polysaccharides consisting of a mannose backbone with galactose side groups (more...
gum, a substance which forms a gel
Gel
A gel is a solid, jelly-like material that can have properties ranging from soft and weak to hard and tough. Gels are defined as a substantially dilute cross-linked system, which exhibits no flow when in the steady-state...
in water. This is commonly known as guar gum
Guar gum
Guar gum, also called guaran, is a galactomannan. It is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled and screened to obtain the guar gum. It is typically produced as a free-flowing, pale, off-white-colored, coarse to fine ground powder.-Production:Guar gum is an...
and is used in dairy products like ice cream
Ice cream
Ice cream is a frozen dessert usually made from dairy products, such as milk and cream, and often combined with fruits or other ingredients and flavours. Most varieties contain sugar, although some are made with other sweeteners...
and as a stabilizer in cheese
Cheese
Cheese is a generic term for a diverse group of milk-based food products. Cheese is produced throughout the world in wide-ranging flavors, textures, and forms....
and cold-meat processing.
Another use is as a fiber supplement. After being partially hydrolyzed, guar gum is completely soluble in water and soft food. Being approximately 75% dietary fiber, it allows fiber to be added to a food with a minimal effect on taste and texture.
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (PHGG) is produced by the partial enzymatic hydrolysis
Hydrolysis
Hydrolysis is a chemical reaction during which molecules of water are split into hydrogen cations and hydroxide anions in the process of a chemical mechanism. It is the type of reaction that is used to break down certain polymers, especially those made by condensation polymerization...
of guaran, the galactomannan
Galactomannan
Galactomannans are polysaccharides consisting of a mannose backbone with galactose side groups Galactomannans are polysaccharides consisting of a mannose backbone with galactose side groups Galactomannans are polysaccharides consisting of a mannose backbone with galactose side groups (more...
of the endosperm of guar seeds (guar gum
Guar gum
Guar gum, also called guaran, is a galactomannan. It is primarily the ground endosperm of guar beans. The guar seeds are dehusked, milled and screened to obtain the guar gum. It is typically produced as a free-flowing, pale, off-white-colored, coarse to fine ground powder.-Production:Guar gum is an...
). It is a neutral polysaccharide
Polysaccharide
Polysaccharides are long carbohydrate molecules, of repeated monomer units joined together by glycosidic bonds. They range in structure from linear to highly branched. Polysaccharides are often quite heterogeneous, containing slight modifications of the repeating unit. Depending on the structure,...
consisting of a mannose
Mannose
Mannose is a sugar monomer of the aldohexose series of carbohydrates. Mannose is a C-2 epimer of glucose. It is not part of human metabolism, but is a component of microbial cell walls, and is therefore a target of the immune system and also of antibiotics....
backbone chain with single galactose
Galactose
Galactose , sometimes abbreviated Gal, is a type of sugar that is less sweet than glucose. It is a C-4 epimer of glucose....
side units occurring on almost two out of every three mannose units. The average molecular weight is about 25,000 Daltons
Atomic mass unit
The unified atomic mass unit or dalton is a unit that is used for indicating mass on an atomic or molecular scale. It is defined as one twelfth of the rest mass of an unbound neutral atom of carbon-12 in its nuclear and electronic ground state, and has a value of...
. This gives a PHGG that still assays and functions as a soluble dietary fiber. PHGG as sold commercially is completely soluble, acid and heat stable, unaffected by ions, and will not gel at high concentrations. PHGG is fully fermentable in the large bowel, with a high rate of volatile fatty acid formation. The pH of the feces is lowered along with an increase in fecal bulk that mainly consists of bacterial cell mass and water. Clinical studies have demonstrated a prebiotic
Prebiotic (nutrition)
Prebiotics are non-digestible food ingredients that stimulate the growth and/or activity of bacteria in the digestive system in ways claimed to be beneficial to health. They were first identified and named by Marcel Roberfroid in 1995. As a functional food component, prebiotics, like probiotics,...
effect of PHGG. Studies have also shown PHGG can be used to maintain regularity. PHGG is used in foods for particulate suspension, emulsification, antistaling
Staling
Staling, or "going stale", is a chemical and physical process in bread and other foods that reduces their palatability. Stale bread is dry and leathery.-Mechanism and effects:...
, ice crystal control, and reduced fat baked goods.
Industrial uses
Derivatives of guar gum that has been further reacted is also used in industrial applications, such as the paper and textile industry, ore flotation, the manufacture of explosives and hydraulic fracturingHydraulic fracturing
Considerable controversy surrounds the current implementation of hydraulic fracturing technology in the United States. Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is the process of utilizing pressurized water, or some other liquid, to fracture rock layers and release petroleum, natural gas, or other...
of oil and gas formations. Guar gum is often crosslinked with boron or chromium ions to make it more stable and heat resistant. The crosslinking of guar with metal ions results in linear gel that does not block the formation and helps efficiently in formation cleaning process. The borate - guar reaction is reversible, and depends on the pH (hydrogen ion concentration) of the solution. Crosslinking of guar with borate happens at high pH (approximately 9-10) of solution. Guar gum has also proven a useful substitute for locust bean gum
Locust bean gum
Locust bean gum is a galactomannan vegetable gum extracted from the seeds of the carob tree, mostly found in the Mediterranean region. The long pods that grow on the tree are used to make this gum. The pods are kibbled to separate the seed from the pulp...
(made from carob seeds).
Sugaring paste
Sugaring (epilation)
Sugaring, sugar waxing or Persian waxing is a method of hair removal.It has been in use since 1900 BC.Sugaring can be less painful than waxing, because the substrate sticks to the hair without attaching to the skin, may be applied at room temperature or heated to a lukewarm temperature, preventing...
used for epilation
EPilation
EPilation is the first full-length release from Brisbane musician Tara Simmons. Although a full-length, EPilation contains no new material and is a compilation of Tara's first two EPs Pendulum and All The Amendments...
may include guar as an ingredient.