Differentiation of carbohydrate gums and mixtures using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and chemometrics

Guar gum, a nonionic galactomannan, is used as an economical thickener and stabilizer in the food industry and is often combined with xanthan, locust bean gum (LBG), or carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) to promote synergistic changes in viscosity or gelling behavior via intermolecular interactions; however, the adulteration of LBG with guar gum is a well-known industrial problem. The ability to identify the purity of gums and concentrations of individual gums in mixtures would be advantageous for quality control in the food industry. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) methods are rapid and require minimum sample preparation. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the ability of FTIR techniques to (1) differentiate LBG with a variety of mannose/galactose (M/G) ratios, (2) differentiate guar, LBG, tara, and fenugreek gums, (3) differentiate pure guar gum from guar gum mixed with LBG, xanthan gum, or CIVIC, (4) quantify LBG, xanthan gum, and CIVIC in guar gum, and (5) quantify guar gum in LBG. Two FTIR methods were used: diffuse reflectance (DRIFT) on powdered gum samples added to KBr at 5%, w/w, and attenuated total reflectance (ATR) on 1%, w/w, gum solutions. Spectra were collected and then analyzed by multivariate statistical procedures (chemometrics). The DRIFT method provided better discrimination and quantitative results than the ATR method. Canonical variate analysis (CVA) of DRIFT spectra (1200-700 cm(-1)) was able to classify LBG with various M/G ratios, pure galactomannans, and pure versus mixtures of gums with 100% accuracy. Quantification of an individual gum in gum mixtures (0.5-15%, w/w) was possible using partial least-squares (PLS) analysis of DRIFT spectra with R-2 > 0.93 and using this approach for quantifying guar gum added to LBG resulted in an R-2 > 0.99, RMSEC = 0.29, and RMSEP = 3.31. Therefore, the DRIFT FTIR method could be a useful analytical tool for quality control of select gums and gum mixtures used in the food industry.