Food additives of gellan gum

Gellan gum is one of the food microbial polysaccharides developed by American companies after xanthan gum in the 1980s.

Gellan gum can be used as thickener and stabilizer. Gellan gum is easy to use. Although it is insoluble in cold water, it can be dispersed in water with a little stirring. It dissolves into a transparent solution when heated, and forms a transparent and firm gel after cooling. The amount of gellan gum is small, usually only 1/3-1/2 of the amount of agar and carrageenan, and the general amount is 0.05% to form a gel (usually 0.1%-0.3%).

The gel made of gellan gum is rich in juice, has good flavor release, and has a taste that melts in the mouth.

Gellan gum has good stability, resistance to acid hydrolysis and enzymatic hydrolysis. The resulting gel is stable even under high-pressure cooking and baking conditions, and it is also stable in acid products, and the pH value is 4.0-7.5 The best performance under the conditions. Its texture is not affected by time and temperature changes during storage.

Due to the superior gel properties of gellan gum, it can gradually replace the use of agar and carrageenan.

Application of Gellan Gum

Application in jam

The solid content in the jam is 38%, and the amount of gellan gum is 0.2%, and a perfect low-solid jam can be made. If low-methoxy pectin or carrageenan is used, the dosage is 0.8% and 1% respectively.

Application in multilayer jelly

Using 0.5% gellan gum and 0.2% xanthan gum, you can make multi-layer jelly with different colors and different flavors. You only need to use oil-soluble food coloring and spices to make red, green, yellow, and white. And other colorful jelly with various colors and flavors, and do not mix colors and taste.

Application in fillings and puddings

In the past, starch or a mixture of starch, protein and phosphate was generally used to provide the characteristic texture required for fillings and puddings. However, products using starch are unstable in shape and have a general taste. These defects can only be improved after deformed starch is used instead of general starch. If gellan gum is used to replace part of modified starch, the shape of the product obtained will be more stable and the taste will be greatly improved.

Application in candy

Gellan gum is used in the preparation of high-sugar candies. The more scientific and economical method is to first hydrate it in low-concentration sugar, and then concentrate it to reach the required sugar concentration. Although gellan gum can also form a gel in a high-sugar solution, high sugar concentration can prevent gellan gum from hydrating. The main function of gellan gum in candy is to provide superior texture and structure to the product and shorten the gel time of starch soft candy.

Application in pastry and dairy products

Gellan gum is mainly used in dairy products to provide high-quality gel and consistency. For example, adding gellan gum to yogurt products can eliminate flocculation and improve taste, but another hydrosol must be added to act as a colloidal protective agent; Adding 0.1%-0.2% to soft pastries has moisturizing, fresh-keeping and shape-preserving effects, and can also prevent aging during refrigeration.