Cress seed gum could thicken food, study reveals

Gum derived from garden cress seed could replace hydrocolloid as a thickener in food formulations, according to a new study conducted by Food Hydrocolloids Research Centre at the Ferdowsi University of Mashhad, Iran.

During the study, the research team compared cress seed gum (CSG) and xanthan gum (XG), and identified that even though CSG exhibited lower viscosity than XG, it had good emulsifying and foaming properties.

When the hydrocolloid samples were heated, there was an irreversible increase in viscosity of the cress seed gum solution, following which its emulsification and foaming properties improved. At 25°C, CSG had a high emulsifying capacity value of 92%, which was comparable with XG, and the impact of CSG on foaming properties in food applications was also comparable with XG.

According to the researchers, the results indicate that CSG is heat stable in all functional properties and it could be used in industrial food processes requiring high temperatures such as cooking, pasteurisation and sterilisation. However, further study is needed to completely understand the potential of gum derived from cress seed.

Hydrocolloids have several functional properties that impart the required properties, including stability, texture and appearance, in food applications such as bakery, beverages, confectionery, culinary, dairy, meat and fish, and fruit and vegetables.

Plant hydrocolloids such as gum arabic, gaur gum and xanthan gum are high-molecular weight polymers that easily dissolve in water and are used as gelling, thickening and stabilising agents.

Garden cress is an annual herb belonging to the Cruciferae family, which grows extensively in the Middle East, Europe and US, and its seeds can absorb water rapidly and generate large quantities of mucilaginous substances and a gum of high molecular weight.