Here are additional successful stories showcasing gellan gum applications, along with basic formulations where possible:

gellan gum applications


1. Low-Sugar Fruit Jam

  • Challenge: A fruit jam producer wanted to reduce sugar in their products while maintaining the desired gel-like consistency without compromising the spreadability and flavor.
  • Solution: Low acyl gellan gum (LA) was chosen as it creates a firm gel even with reduced sugar. Unlike pectin, which requires high sugar content for gelling, gellan gum can form a gel with very little sugar.
  • Outcome: The final product retained a glossy, spreadable texture without the need for artificial thickeners, allowing the company to market the jam as a healthier alternative.

Basic Formulation:

2. Non-Dairy Ice Cream Stabilization

  • Challenge: A premium non-dairy ice cream brand was experiencing texture degradation due to ice crystal growth during freezing and thawing cycles. They needed a stabilizer to maintain smoothness and prevent water separation (syneresis).
  • Solution: The incorporation of high acyl gellan gum (HA) provided the needed stabilization by creating a gel matrix that binds water molecules, preventing large ice crystals from forming and maintaining a creamy texture.
  • Outcome: The product was able to withstand temperature fluctuations, retaining its smooth, creamy texture without sacrificing flavor. The use of gellan gum also allowed the product to remain vegan, meeting the company’s clean-label demands.

Basic Formulation:

  • Coconut or almond milk: 80%
  • Sugar: 12%
  • High acyl gellan gum (HA): 0.15%
  • Locust bean gum: 0.1%
  • Vanilla extract: 0.5%
  • Water: balance

3. Shelf-Stable Soups

  • Challenge: A ready-to-eat soup manufacturer needed a thickening agent for their shelf-stable soups that wouldn’t break down during the high-heat sterilization process (autoclaving). Many traditional thickeners degrade at high temperatures, leading to watery soups.
  • Solution: Low acyl gellan gum (LA) was selected due to its thermal stability, making it ideal for soups that undergo high-heat processing. Gellan gum forms heat-resistant gels and maintains the desired viscosity throughout the storage period.
  • Outcome: The soups retained their rich, thick consistency post-processing and throughout their shelf life, reducing the need for multiple stabilizers and improving product quality.

Basic Formulation:

4. Beverages with Suspended Pulp

  • Challenge: A juice brand wanted to develop a clear beverage with visible suspended fruit pulp, but struggled with keeping the particles uniformly distributed without thickening the liquid too much.
  • Solution: Low acyl gellan gum (LA) was used at low concentrations to suspend the pulp without significantly increasing the viscosity of the beverage. Gellan gum’s ability to form a very thin gel allows for pulp suspension while maintaining a refreshing, liquid mouthfeel.
  • Outcome: The beverage showcased suspended fruit pieces throughout the bottle, creating an attractive and premium visual effect while remaining clear and smooth to drink.

Basic Formulation:

  • Fruit juice concentrate: 10%
  • Suspended fruit pulp: 3%
  • Low acyl gellan gum (LA): 0.02%
  • Citric acid (pH adjustment): to pH 3.8
  • Water: balance

5. Vegan Gel Capsules for Pharmaceuticals

  • Challenge: A pharmaceutical company was developing vegan-friendly soft gel capsules but faced issues with finding a plant-based material that could replace gelatin while maintaining integrity and dissolution properties.
  • Solution: Gellan gum (low acyl) was utilized to create the soft gel matrix for capsules, offering a non-animal-derived alternative to gelatin. Gellan gum forms a stable, flexible gel that can encapsulate both hydrophilic and hydrophobic substances.
  • Outcome: The vegan capsules dissolved at the desired rate in the gastrointestinal tract, meeting pharmaceutical standards for controlled drug release. This allowed the company to market the capsules to both vegan and religiously sensitive consumers.

Basic Formulation:

  • Active pharmaceutical ingredient (API): depends on drug type
  • Low acyl gellan gum (LA): 0.3%
  • Glycerin (plasticizer): 0.5%
  • Water: balance

These examples showcase the flexibility of gellan gum in a variety of applications, from food to pharmaceuticals. Each formulation highlights the versatility of gellan gum in solving specific industrial challenges, such as stabilizing emulsions, maintaining texture in high-heat processes, or providing vegan-friendly alternatives.