Textile industry
– sizing, finishing and printing
Paper industry –
improved sheet formation, folding and denser surface for printing
Explosives industry
– as waterproofing agent mixed with ammonium nitrate, nitroglycerin etc.
Pharmaceutical
industry – as binder or as disintegrator in tablets
Cosmetics and
toiletries industries – thickener in toothpastes, conditioner in shampoos
(usually in a chemically modified version)
Oil and gas drilling,
hydraulic fracturing
Mining
Hydro seeding –
formation of seed bearing "guar tack"
The largest market for guar gum is in the food industry. In the
Applications include:
Baked goods -
increases dough yield, gives greater resiliency, and improves texture and shelf
life; in pastry fillings, it prevents "weeping" (syneresis) of the
water in the filling, keeping the pastry crust crisp.
Dairy - thickens milk,
yogurt, kefir, and liquid cheese products; helps maintain homogeneity and
texture of ice creams and sherbets
Meat - functions
as lubricant and binder.
Dressing and sauces
- improves the stability and appearance of salad dressings, barbecue sauces,
relishes, ketchups and others
Misc. - Dry
soups, instant oatmeal, sweet desserts, and canned fish in sauce, frozen food items and animal feed.
Nutritional
and Medicinal uses
Laxative
- It is a water-soluble fiber acts
as a bulk forming laxative and as such, it is claimed to be effective in promoting regular bowel movements
and relieve constipation and chronic related functional bowel ailments such as diverticulitis,
Cohn’s disease, Colitis and irritable bowel syndrome, among others.It is
helpful in infective diarrhea
Hypertension - decreases in human serum cholesterol levels following guar gum ingestion.
Diabetes & Weight loss - Guar
gum has been considered of interest with regards to both weight loss and
diabetic diets. It helps diabetic patients by lowering the amount of insulin
needed to keep the blood glucose at a normal level.