Viscogum® locust bean gum
The locust bean has been known for its thickening properties since ancient times: the Egyptians used locust bean paste to glue bandages onto mummies. However, it was only early in the 20th century that locust bean gum (LBG) became an industrial product.
Locust bean gum is used as a thickening and gelling agent in dairy products, ice-cream and condiments.
Locust bean gum is extracted from the seeds of Ceratonia siliqua, the European carob tree, which is evergreen and leguminous. Originally from Syria and Asia Minor, the locust bean has been cultivated since antiquity in the Mediterranean basin.
The fruit is an elongated pod, 10 to 20 cm long and 2 to 4 cm wide. Each pod contains slightly oval seeds about 8 mm long. LBG is obtained from the endosperm of the seeds which acts as a carbohydrate reserve for the seed during germination.
Some Cargill products are only approved for use in certain geographies, end uses, and/or at certain usage levels. It is the customer's responsibility to determine, for a particular geography, that (i) the Cargill product, its use and usage levels, (ii) the customer's product and its use, and (iii) any claims made about the customer's product, all comply with applicable laws and regulations.
