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Guar Gum(E412)

Level 3 — ContestedIn Winter's Dictionary2 sources

Guar Gum is a thickener gum — Stabilizer, thickener, binder; 5-8x thickening power of starch

Also: Cyamopsis tetragonolobus, Guar Flour

What it does

Stabilizer, thickener, binder; 5-8x thickening power of starch

Where you'll see it

Frozen fruit, icings, fruit drinks, meats, baked goods, cheese spreads

What the research says

In large amounts may cause nausea, flatulence, abdominal cramps. FDA banned it as active drug ingredient in 1997 because it swells when wet; weight-loss products caused hospitalization and one death from blood clot. [ultra-processed-people] Grouped with locust bean gum, alginate, carrageenan and xanthan as the gums used to replace expensive ingredients (fats, dairy) and extend shelf life. Van Tulleken's broader claim: in fat-replacement strategies these gums create a fatty mouth-feel without delivering the expected nutrition, contributing to the sensory/metabolic mismatch that drives overconsumption.

Regulatory status

  • US FDA: GRAS
  • EU: approved
  • Notes: GRAS with limits; banned as active drug ingredient 1997

Sources

  • Ultra-Processed People (van Tulleken) — Chapter 2: The invention of UPF: guar gum, locust bean gum, alginate, carrageenan and the near-ubiquitous xanthan gum
  • A Consumer's Dictionary of Food Additives (Winter): one brand resulted in hospitalization of at least ten patients and one death from a blood clot