Locust bean gum 100g, thickener (E-410, carob gum, carob bean gum, carobin)

Locust bean gum (also known as carob, carob gum) is the ground endosperm of the seeds of a tree called carob (Ceratonia siliqua). Carob is grown in the Mediterranean region, the meal from it is used in the food industry as a thickener, stabilizer and emulsifier, it is marked with the symbol E 410.

Carob gum is used in many food products because it provides a pleasant, creamy mouthfeel and therefore allows you to reduce the fat content of the product (it mimics fat). Locust bean gum can be used in conjunction with other thickeners such as carrageenan, agar and xanthan gum because it has synergistic effects with them - it allows the formation of gels with greater strength and flexibility, although it does not have gelling properties in itself.

Carob gum (carob, locust bean gum) is known for its thickening and stabilizing properties in food. Importantly for people on reduction, carob gum is not digested - the main component of carob gum (approx. 75%) is galactomannan (consisting of D-mannose and D-galactose), which is a soluble fiber. Galactomannan is not digested in the gastrointestinal tract and may slightly decompose due to the activity of intestinal bacteria. Locust bean gum also contains insoluble fiber (approx. 10%).

Locust bean gum is approved in the EU for use in products for infants and young children as a substance to prevent spills, its consumption does not need to be limited, when consumed in the form of food products, it does not cause any side effects, also in pregnant women.

Locust bean gum is added as a thickener, improver and stabilizer to dairy products, baked goods, gluten-free products, frozen products, sauces and puddings, it is a fat substitute in dietary products, and in many recipes it can be successfully used as an alternative to guar gum. Carob gum has the ability to form very viscous aqueous solutions at relatively low concentrations, it dissolves well in hot water (> 80 ° C), but only partially dissolves in cold water.

Carob gum is often used as a thickening agent in the production of ice cream (it increases their melting resistance, slows down and reduces the size of ice crystal formation, which is why it is especially well suited as an ingredient of dietary ice cream and sorbets) and sauces. It is also used by bakers, because carob gum improves the taste, aroma and color of baked goods, and by binding more water, it extends the freshness of products. The addition of flour improves the texture of the dough, prevents caking, facilitates kneading and can replace the addition of fat, sugar and cocoa.

Locust bean gum is also valued for its pro-health properties:

• lowers blood cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein LDL,
• improves digestion (as a fiber)
• may be helpful in treating acid reflux,
• Carob tannins do not bind to proteins, but they bind well, for example with toxins, thus inhibiting the growth of bacteria (carob is therefore used in the treatment of bacterial diarrhea, and also as a mild anti-diarrheal agent (recommended especially for children).