Guar gum is extracted from the guar bean; it works as a thickening, stabilizing, and viscosifying agent. It is derived from the endosperm of the seed of Cyamopsis tetragonoloba; this plant is grown in dry regions and can also be used as a food crop for animals. In India, guar has been used as a vegetable.
This guar bean can be eaten, used for cattle feeding, and used in green manure. The major producer of guar crops is India followed by countries like Pakistan, Australia, China, Africa, the US, etc.
Guar gum has emerged as a significant product for various industries it has had an incredible journey, from being just a traditional crop used as vegetable and animal food to being used as a significant ingredient in various industries including cosmetics, printing, food, pharmaceutical, textile, and many other industries.The amazing inherent features such as thickening, emulsifying, and binding properties of guar gum have made it an acknowledged and most demanded product worldwide.
India is the largest guar gum producer in the world and has a contribution of 80% of the total production of guar crops worldwide. The Guar crop is grown mainly in the Kharif season. Guar gum is mainly cultivated in the following areas of India: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh.
The growing duration of the guar plant is normally 14-16 weeks; it requires moderate rainfall and warm weather with sufficient sunshine. Heavy rain causes the guar plant more leafy which reduces the number of legume as well as the number of seeds per legume which adversely affect the volume of the production and yield of seeds. Thus, it requires moderate rainfall and the crop is sown after the monsoon.
There are various grades of Guar gums available, pure or derivative, food-grade or industrial-grade. Its ability to control the viscosity of aqueous solutions, strong film-forming, hydrogen bonding, and suspending solids properties are the main reasons for its increasing growth in a variety of industrial units.
Approximately 90% of guar gum produced and processed in India is exported worldwide. Guar gum powder is extensively used in Textile printing, Baked Food, Frozen Food, Oil drilling, Pet Food, Paper, Explosive, Water Treatment, and various other applications as per the industrial requirement.