Clean-Label Gums: Locust Bean Gum

Locust bean gum is a galactomannan extracted from the seeds of the carob tree-hence its alias, carob gum. LBG for short, it’s “an effective thickener and water-binding agent, and is often used in combination with other gums to help minimize water separation in fruit preparations used in yogurts,” Peck Moeller says. Being dispersible in cold and hot water increases its processing appeal, and in addition to human foods, it also shows up in pet foods, paper products, and cosmetics.

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