Louis Francois Gellan Gum is a high-performance gelling agent and stabilizer used to create clear, heat-stable gels with excellent texture control. It is especially useful for fruit preparations, beverages, sauces, confectionery, dairy or plant-based applications, and modern pastry work where precision matters.

Use

Disperse into water using high shear, then heat to about 90°C to fully hydrate. Gelation is triggered by the presence of ions such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, or potassium, and the gel sets as it cools. In hard water, sequestrants such as sodium citrate or phosphates can help improve hydration.

Recommended Dosage

General use: 0.05% to 4% depending on the texture and application.

Applications / Practical Uses

• Fruit fillings and bakery preparations that need to hold shape during baking
• Confections and jellies with a clear finish and elastic bite
• Dairy and plant-based gels with good protein compatibility
• Beverages where you want to suspend particles without separation
• Sauces, icings, and fluid gels with improved texture and stability
• Modern pastry and plated desserts, including gel sheets, fluid gels, and heat-stable textures

Observations

• White to cream-coloured powder
• Odourless and neutral in flavour
• Hydrates best with heat and shear
• Sets on cooling in the presence of ions
• Thermally stable with good resistance to syneresis
• Gel texture can be adjusted from more brittle to more elastic depending on ion content and formulation

Differences from Other Gums

Compared with agar or gelatin, gellan gum gives better heat stability and less syneresis, making it especially useful for clear gels and hot applications. Compared with xanthan gum, it forms a true gel rather than simply thickening. Compared with carrageenan, it offers cleaner taste release and more flexibility through ion-triggered gelation.

Origin

Produced by microbial fermentation with Sphingomonas elodea. The glucose used in fermentation is typically derived from corn or beets.