Guar gum

About: Guar gum is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 5611 publications have been published within this topic receiving 105940 citations.

Influence of Guar Gum on the In Vitro Starch Digestibility—Rheological and Microstructural Characteristics

Abstract: The present study investigates the effect of guar gum on the digestibility of a waxy maize starch in vitro under simulated gastric and intestinal conditions. A detailed rheology and confocal scanning laser microscopy of the digesta were performed in order to study the possible mechanisms of interactions involved during in vitro hydrolysis of starch. No starch hydrolysis was observed under simulated gastric conditions, whereas more than 90% hydrolysis was observed at the end of digestion under simulated intestinal conditions. In the presence of guar gum, the starch hydrolysis was reduced by nearly 25% during the first 10 min and by 15% at the end of in vitro intestinal digestion. The rheological behavior of the digesta was significantly affected in the presence of the gum. The viscosity of digesta decreased during intestinal digestion; however, the extent of decrease was quite low in the presence of guar gum. The consistency index increased and flow behavior index of digesta decreased in the presence of gum after 1 min of intestinal digestion. All the samples (digested or undigested) displayed a pseudoplastic behavior as their apparent viscosity (η a) decreased with an increase in shear rate. A negative correlation between the starch hydrolysis (%) and storage modulus for the starch sample without gum and a positive correlation for the starch sample with gum were found. Large granule remnants observed through confocal micrographs have shown that the solubilization of starch granule remnants during in vitro digestion is significantly reduced in the presence of gum.

Effects of guar gum and cellulose on digesta passage rate, ileal microbial populations, energy and protein digestibility, and performance of grower pigs.

Abstract: Dietary guar gum and cellulose were studied as purified soluble and insoluble nonstarch polysaccharide (NSP) sources, respectively. A control diet containing 14% cornstarch was formulated. A 7% guar gum, a 7% cellulose, and a 7% guar gum + 7% cellulose diet were formulated by adding the NSP to the control diet at the expense of cornstarch (wt/wt), forming a 2 x 2 factorial arrangement. The objectives were to determine whether guar gum and cellulose altered 1) the passage rate of digesta through the small intestine and total tract; 2) the digestibility of energy and CP, characteristics of the digesta, and microbial populations in the ileum; 3) plasma glucose and ghrelin concentrations; and 4) short-term voluntary feed intake and growth performance of grower pigs. In Exp. 1, 12 pigs (27.0 +/- 1.5 kg of BW) were fitted with an ileal T-cannula and were used in a 2-period change-over design, providing 6 observations per diet. Each period included 18 d: a 12-d acclimation period followed by 2-d feces, 3-d digesta, and 1-d venous blood collection periods. In Exp. 1, guar gum and cellulose slowed the passage rate of digesta through the small intestine by 26 and 18%, respectively (P < 0.05). Guar gum increased total tract retention time of the digesta by 14% (P < 0.05). Guar gum and cellulose increased the viscosity of ileal digesta by 72 and 76%, respectively (P < 0.05). Cellulose reduced ileal energy and CP digestibility (P < 0.05), but guar gum only tended to decrease ileal energy digestibility (P < 0.10). Guar gum and cellulose reduced total tract energy and CP digestibility (P < 0.05). At 60 min after feeding, guar gum decreased plasma glucose by 10% (P < 0.10). Guar gum interacted with cellulose to reduce plasma ghrelin before and after feeding (P < 0.05). Guar gum and cellulose interacted to increase ileal bifidobacteria and enterobacteria (P < 0.05); however, guar gum, but not cellulose, increased ileal clostridia (P < 0.05). In Exp. 2, 20 individually housed grower pigs (5 pigs per diet) had free access to the 4 diets used in Exp. 1 for 14 d. Guar gum and cellulose decreased ADG and reduced ADFI on d 0 to 14 (P < 0.05). In summary, increasing purified NSP in the diet reduced the passage rate of digesta, energy and protein digestibility, and feed intake, but increased ileal bifidobacteria and enterobacteria populations. The effects of cellulose were similar to those of guar gum. In conclusion, monitoring of dietary NSP is a critical factor to achieve predictable digestible nutrient intake and intestinal bacterial populations.