Application Note - Viscosity of Guar Gum Solutions

Guar gum is a galactomannan polysaccharide that is extracted from guar beans. It is a common rheology modifier added to food products. In addition to viscosity enhancement or thickening, guar gum can also act as an emulsifier and stabilizer for formulations. The molecular weight of the polysaccharide can vary significantly depending on the source. Variations in molecular weight will impact the thickening ability of the guar gum. The formulation process parameters, such as mixing and temperature, will also influence the final rheological behavior of the solutions. Therefore, it is important to measure the viscosity to quantify the thickening power of each batch.

In this application note, the viscosity of guar gum in solution was measured as a function of shear rate with the VROC^® initium to demonstrate the ability of the automated viscometer to consistently load and measure the highly shear thinning formulations common utilized in the food industry.

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