As awareness of healthy living and plant-based diets continues to grow, the food and beverage industry is facing increasing demand for products made from plant-derived ingredients.This creates new challenges for manufacturers to continuously innovate and adapt to consumer needs. Maha offers the ideal solution for your food and beverage stabilizer needs.
From plant-based milk products and fruit jams to fruit juices, Gellan Gum can be used safely in vegan food and beverage products because it is vegan-friendly and safe for consumption. Read more to learn about the characteristics, functions, applications, and recommended usage levels of Gellan Gum in your food and beverage products!
What is Gellan Gum?
Gellan gum is a hydrophilic extracellular polysaccharide secreted by the microorganism Sphingomonas elodea, also known as Pseudomonas elodea. Commercially, gellan gum is produced through pure culture fermentation of the microorganism using carbohydrate fermentation processes. Because it is produced from plant-based fermentation sources, gellan gum is vegan-friendly and suitable for vegan food applications.
Gellan gum is available in two categories, high acyl gellan gum (HA) and low acyl gellan gum (LA). HA Gellan Gum contains a tetrasaccharide repeating backbone structure with two acyl groups as side chains and can naturally form soft and elastic gels. Meanwhile, LA Gellan Gum is produced through a deacylation process that removes the acyl groups, resulting in firmer and more brittle gel textures.
Picture 1. Gellan gum powder (white powder)
Characteristics of Gellan Gum as a Vegan Stabilizer
Some key characteristics of Gellan Gum include:
- Excellent stabilizing properties
- Does not affect food or beverage taste
- Heat resistant
- Stable across a wide pH range
- Excellent gel-forming capability
- Low rheology properties
Functions of Gellan Gum
Due to its gel-forming properties, gellan gum is widely used in the food and beverage industry with functions such as:
- Thickener
- Suspending agent
- Stabilizer
- Gel formers
Applications of Gellan Gum in Food Products
Due to its function, gellan gum is widely used in the food and beverage industry, particularly in suspended beverages, yogurt, vegetable protein drinks, jellies, puddings, candies, jams, flavor additives, and canned pet foods. Below are some of the most common applications of gellan gum along with its benefits.
1. Gellan Gum for Suspended Beverages
In suspended beverages, gellan gum helps stabilize particles by improving beverage texture and suspension stability. In addition, gellan gum performs very well in acidic beverages with lower pH conditions.
Examples of applications:
- Fruit juices
- Dairy-based beverages
2. Gellan Gum for Plant-Based Protein Drinks
In plant-based protein beverages and other high-protein or high-fiber drinks, gellan gum can increase product stability during its shelf life, as well as prevent the separation of solids and liquids in drinks. Moreover, adding gellan gum to vegetable protein drinks can improve the taste of the drink product.
Examples of applications:
- Soy milk
- Oat milk
- Almond milk
- Other plant-based protein products
3. Gellan Gum for Jam Applications
In jam production, gellan gum can be used as an alternative gelling agent. Compared to other gelling agents, gellan gum works effectively at lower dosage levels. In addition, jam products formulated with gellan gum often offer better texture and taste compared to products using pectin. Overall, gellan gum helps improve stability, texture, and taste.
Examples of applications:
- Fruit jam
- Peanut butter
- Coconut jam (kaya)
- Other jam products
Recommended Usage Levels of Gellan Gum
Although gellan gum is categorized as non-toxic and safe for human consumption without significant side effects, recommended dosage levels should still be followed to achieve optimal product performance. The recommended usage levels may vary depending on:
- Low Acyl (LA) Gellan Gum
Specification | Description |
Mesh | Min. 95% lolos 60 mesh |
Gel strength | >= 800g/cm2 |
Transparency | >= 80% |
Safe Limits | 0.02 – 0.03 % |
Application | Jelly, suspended drinks, jam, personal care products, etc. |
- High Acyl (HA) Gellan Gum
Specification | Description |
Mesh | Min. 95% lolos 60 mesh |
Gel strength | >= 500g/cm2 |
Transparency | – |
Safe Limits | 0.02 – 0.03 % |
Application | Plant-based milk drinks, plant-based protein, fruit juice drinks, etc. |
Gellan Gum Supplier in Indonesia
Interested in trying Gellan Gum as a vegan stabilizer for your food or beverage products? Maha provides high-quality Gellan Gum solutions for various food and beverage applications. Contact us today for FREE samples or consultation regarding product formulation and development!