The 6 Functional Properties of Flaxseed Gum

Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) is a new natural multifunctional plant-based hydrocolloid extracted from flaxseed.
The unique functional properties of flaxseed gum include thickening, gelling, emulsification, foaming ability, stability, etc.

1. Solubility

The No. 1 unique functional property of flaxseed gum is Solubility.

Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) is a white powder with good solubility and can slowly absorb water to form a dispersion system with low viscosity.

When the concentration is lower than 1-2g/L, it can be completely dissolved, and the solubility is higher than guar gum and acacia gum, but not as good as gum Arabic.

The solubility of Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) has a close relationship with the concentration and temperature, the solubility of 0.5% gum solution at 15 ℃ can reach 70% when the temperature reaches 95 ℃ the solubility can reach 90%.

The dissolution characteristics of Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) were studied through the determination of static and dynamic rheological properties of Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) solution, and the results showed that:

The apparent viscosity of the Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) solution gradually increased with the increase of dissolution temperature under the same dissolution time.
The apparent viscosity of the Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) solution gradually increased to the maximum value with the increase of dissolution time under the same dissolution temperature, and then showed a decreasing trend.

At different dissolution temperatures, the time required for 1% of Flaxseed gum (Linseed gum) solution to reach a maximum viscosity of 1600 Pa.s is different, respectively, 40 ℃ need to dissolve 8h; 50 ℃ need to dissolve 6h; 60 ℃ need to dissolve 4h; 70 ℃ need to dissolve 4h; 80 ℃ need to dissolve 2h.
And its viscoelasticity is different, the higher the dissolution temperature, the stronger the gel characteristics.

2. Emulsifying Property

Emulsification is also one of the unique functional properties of flaxseed gum.

In the experiment, flaxseed gum was used as the test group and gum Arabic, seaweed gum, xanthan gum, gelatin, and CMC were used as the control group.

For each kind of gum, 9 concentration gradients were set, 500mL was measured, and 8% and 4% of vegetable oil were added.

3. Gelling Property

Flaxseed gum is a hydrocolloid, and the gelling property is one of the most important functional properties of hydrocolloids, only some hydrocolloids have the characteristics of gelling, such as gelatin, carrageenan, starch, pectin, etc. ;
Some hydrocolloids cannot form gels by themselves but can form gels when they are compounded with other hydrocolloids, such as xanthan gum and locust bean gum.
You can refer to the synergistic effect of hydrocolloids described in the previous article.

The viscosity of 1% flaxseed gum varies from 350-2500mpa.s. Generally speaking, the viscosity of undried flaxseed gum is relatively high, greater than 1500mpa.s, while the viscosity of the gum liquid prepared with dry gum powder is more than 350mpa.s.
The viscosity of flaxseed gum gradually increases with the extension of the placement time, and the viscosity increases by 47% after one night, and it has been increasing with the extension of time.

The temperature has a great impact on the viscosity of flaxseed gum, the higher the temperature, the lower the viscosity, the same concentration of the viscosity of the gum at 0 ℃ is 48 times the viscosity at 90 ℃.
The viscosity of flaxseed gum is the highest, and the pH range is 6-8, whether in acidic conditions or alkaline conditions, the viscosity of flaxseed gum decreases compared to neutral conditions.

4. Foaming Ability

Foaming ability is also a unique property. Flaxseed gum can be mutually soluble with water in any ratio and form a uniform gum solution.
When 50% -60% alcohol is added to the gum solution, it produces flocculent gum precipitation.
Flaxseed gum also has good foaming properties, it can form a uniform and stable foam body by separating 0.5% of the gum solution by centrifuge.
Only when the foam body is heated to 90 ℃ for half an hour, the foam body can be destroyed to restore a homogeneous solution.

5. Nontoxicity / Non-Toxic

Through the acute toxicity test and micronucleus test of flaxseed gum, the results are negative, so flaxseed gum for non-toxic substances.
On the other hand, flax is non-toxic, to it as raw material by physical methods of processing and obtained by flax seed gum is also non-toxic.

ADI does not make special provisions for flaxseed gum, its LD50 ≥ 15g/kg (mice, oral).
Trichlorfon, mercuric oxide, fluorine ethyl phthalimide, arsenic trioxide and trichlorfon five kinds of toxic substances were detoxification test with mice, the results proved that flaxseed gum has a significant detoxification effect on these toxic substances.

6. Rheological Property

By analyzing the rheological properties of different types of flaxseed gum extracted from flaxseeds, the results showed that: the viscosity of 10 g/ L of flaxseed gum solution was about 0. 02~ 0. 08 Pa.s and the viscosity increased with the increase of mass concentration and decreased with the increase of shear rate.
The effect of temperature on the apparent viscosity of linseed gum solution was in accordance with the Arrhenius model with an activation energy of 271.48 kJ/ mol.

The effect of pH on the apparent viscosity of flaxseed gum solution was significant.

Under acidic conditions, the apparent viscosity decreased gradually with decreasing pH;
Under alkaline conditions, the apparent viscosity also decreased gradually with increasing pH;
Under neutral conditions, the apparent viscosity of the flaxseed gum solution reached the maximum value.