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As manufacturers who work with the ingredient well know, locust bean gum prices have steadily increased over the past several months and are now nearly three times the previous level. To provide relief to food and beverage processors, TIC Gums is offering TIC Pretested Caragum 200 as a locust bean gum replacement that is as effective as it is affordable.

An all natural gum system, TIC Pretested Caragum 200 is a special blend of locust bean gum and TIC Gums' GuarNT Bland. According to TIC Gums' business manager Greg Andon, the blend is an especially effective thickening agent that does not impart the off-flavor associated with traditional guar gum. "Most guar gum is twice as thick as locust bean gum, but this guar blend doesn't have that problem," he explains. "Plus, we can remove the odor and taste of traditional guar with the GuarNT Bland. That makes it a palatable and cost-effective alternative."

According to Andon, the ingredient was developed more than two years ago in a joint effort with TIC Gums' corporate chef Walter Zuromski. "Caragum 200 came out of roux replacement. This blend was shown to give a lot of body and a distinctive texture," he recalls. Since its introduction, Caragum 200 also has been applied to low-carbohydrate formulations as a way to remove flour while maintaining culinary integrity.

Although many processors have worked with TIC Pretested Caragum 200 already, the innovative gum system garnered more attention when prices of locust bean skyrocketed throughout 2004 and into 2005 due to limited availability of seeds. Andon believes the situation likely will continue. "We are expecting prices not to get better, and they could even get worse. We think that Caragum 200 will become a standard in applications," he says.

Available in 50-pound bags, TIC Pretested Caragum 200 can be dry blended with other ingredients and dissolved in the water phase while mixing. It can also be incorporated as a slurry into recipes with oil.

Company Information

4609 Richlynn Drive, P.O. Box 369
Belcamp, Md. 21017-0369 (see map)
Phone: (800) 899-3953, (410) 273-7300
Fax: (410) 273-6469
Website: www.ticgums.com