What is locust bean gum

Locust bean gum also called carob bean gum, is the material separated and variously refined from the endosperm of the seed of the carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua (L.) Taub. (Family Leguminosae), a large leguminous evergreen that is widely cultivated in the Mediterranean area ¹. The seeds of the carob tree are dehusked by treating the kernels with dilute sulfuric acid or with thermal mechanical treatments, elimination of the germ, followed by milling and screening of the endosperm to obtain native locust bean gum. The locust bean gum is clarified by dispersing in hot water, filtration and precipitation with ethanol or isopropanol, filtering, drying and milling. The clarified carob bean gum does not contain cell wall materials. Clarified locust bean gum in the market is normally standardized with sugars for viscosity and reactivity.  The carbohydrate component of locust bean gum (carob bean gum) is considered to be a neutral galactomannan polymer consisting of a main chain of 1,4-linked D-mannose units with a side chain of D-galactose on every fourth or fifth unit, attached through 1,6-glycosidic linkages to the polymannose chain ². Locust bean gum is a white to yellowish‐white, nearly odorless powder. Locust bean gum is soluble in hot water and insoluble in ethanol ³. Locust bean gum is insoluble in organic solvents ⁴. When the degree of galactose substitution on mannose chain increases (e.g. in tara gum and guar gum), the galactomannans become more soluble in water ⁵. Locust bean gum swells in cold water, but heating is necessary for maximum solubility. Solutions are cloudy with a white opacity due to the presence of insoluble impurities such as proteins and cellulose. According to industry documentation provided to European Food Safety Authority, the solubility varies with the molecular weight, solubility declines with increasing molecular weight and increasing concentration. Locust bean gum is mainly consisting of high molecular weight (approximately 50,000-3,000,000) polysaccharides composed of galactomannans; the mannose:galactose ratio is about 4:1.

Locust bean gum (E 410) is an authorized food additive in the European Union ³. Based on the lack of adverse effects in the available toxicity studies, an acceptable daily intake (ADI) ‘not specified’ was allocated by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1981 ¹. In 2008, Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) updated the specifications of locust bean gum ⁶. Currently, locust bean gum (E 410) is an authorized food additive in the European Union at quantum satis (QS) in most foods apart from jam, jellies and similar fruit or vegetables and foods for infants and young children. Locust bean gum (E 410) is included in the Group I of food additives authorised at quantum satis (QS). Locust bean gum (E 410) may not be used to produce dehydrated foods intended to rehydrate on ingestion. Table 1 summarizes foods that are permitted to contain locust bean gum (E 410) and the corresponding maximum permitted levels (MPLs) as set by Annex II to Regulation) No 1333/2008.

In 2016, the Scientific Committee on Food discussed the safety of use of locust bean gum in infant formula and concluded that the available studies are not sufficient for the evaluation of locust bean gum for use in infant formula at the proposed use level (10,000 mg/L) ⁷. The Scientific Committee on Food requested toxicological data from studies in neonatal animals, adequate to evaluate the safety for use in infant formula, to complete the evaluation ⁷. Locust bean gum is practically undigested, not absorbed intact, but significantly fermented by enteric bacteria in humans. No adverse effects were reported in 90‐day toxicity and carcinogenicity studies in rodents at the highest doses tested and there was no concern with respect to the genotoxicity and to reproductive and developmental toxicity of locust bean gum (E 410). The European Food Safety Authority Panel concluded that there is no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake (ADI) for locust bean gum (E 410), and that there is no safety concern for the general population at the refined exposure assessment for its reported uses as a food additive  ³. However, infants and young children consuming foods for special medical purposes may show a higher susceptibility to gastrointestinal effects of locust bean gum due to their underlying medical condition. The European Food Safety Authority Panel concluded that the available data do not allow an adequate assessment of the safety of locust bean gum (E 410) in these foods for infants from 12 weeks of age onwards and for young children ³. Furthermore, locust bean gum (E 410) belongs to those food additives of Group I for which the EU Regulation in general indicates that they may not be used to produce dehydrated foods intended to rehydrate on ingestion ³.

Figure 1. Locust bean gum molecular structure

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Table 1. Locust bean gum authorized uses and use levels

Food category number	Food category name	E number/group	Restrictions/exceptions	Maximum permitted level MPL (mg/L or mg/kg as appropriate)
01.3	Unflavoured fermented milk products, heat‐treated after fermentation	Group I		QS
01.4	Flavoured fermented milk products including heat‐treated products	Group I		QS
01.6.2	Unflavoured live fermented cream products and substitute products with a fat content of less than 20%	E 410		QS
01.6.3	Other creams	Group I		QS
01.7.1	Unripened cheese, excluding products falling in category 16	Group I	Except mozzarella	QS
01.7.5	Processed cheese	Group I		QS
01.7.6	Cheese products (excluding products falling in category 16)	Group I		QS
01.8	Dairy analogues, including beverage whiteners	Group I		QS
02.2.2	Other fat and oil emulsions, including spreads as defined by Council Regulation (EC) No 1234/2007 and liquid emulsions	Group I		QS
02.3	Vegetable oil pan spray	Group I		QS
03	Edible ices	Group I		QS
04.2.1	Dried fruit and vegetables	Group I	E 410 may not be used to produce dehydrated foods intended to rehydrate on ingestion	QS
04.2.2	Fruit and vegetables in vinegar, oil or brine	Group I		QS
04.2.3	Canned or bottled fruit and vegetables	E 410	Only chestnuts in liquid	QS
04.2.4.1	Fruit and vegetable preparations, excluding compote	Group I		QS
04.2.5.2	Jam, jellies and marmalades and sweetened chestnut puree as defined by Directive 2001/113/EC	E 410	a	10,000
04.2.5.3	Other similar fruit or vegetable spreads	E 410	a	10,000
04.2.5.4	Nut butters and nut spreads	Group I		QS
04.2.6	Processed potato products	Group I		QS
05.1	Cocoa and Chocolate products as covered by Directive 2000/36/EC	Group I	Only energy‐reduced or with no added sugar	QS
05.2	Other confectionery, including breath refreshening microsweets	Group I	E 410 may not be used in jelly minicups, defined, for the purpose of this Regulation, as jelly confectionery of a firm consistence, contained in semi rigid minicups or minicapsules, intended to be ingested in a single bite by exerting pressure on the minicups or minicapsule to project the confectionery into the mouth; E 410 may not be used to produce dehydrated foodstuffs intended to rehydrate on ingestion	QS
05.3	Chewing gum	Group I		QS
05.4	Decorations, coatings and fillings, except fruit‐based fillings covered by category 4.2.4	Group I		QS
06.2.2	Starches	Group I		QS
06.3	Breakfast cereals	Group I		QS
06.4.2	Dry pasta	Group I	Only gluten‐free and/or pasta intended for hypoproteic diets in accordance with Directive 2009/39/EC	QS
06.4.4	Potato Gnocchi	Group I	Except fresh refrigerated potato gnocchi	QS
06.4.5	Fillings of stuffed pasta (ravioli and similar)	Group I		QS
06.5	Noodles	Group I		QS
06.6	Batters	Group I		QS
06.7	Precooked or processed cereals	Group I		QS
07.1	Bread and rolls	Group I	Except products in 7.1.1 and 7.1.2	QS
07.2	Fine bakery wares	Group I		QS
08.2	Meat preparations as defined by Regulation (EC) No 853/2004	E 410	Only preparations in which ingredients have been injected; meat preparations composed of meat parts that have been handled differently: minced, sliced or processed and that are combined together. Except bifteki, soutzoukaki, kebap, gyros and souvlaki	QS
08.3.1	Non‐heat‐treated meat products	Group I		QS
08.3.2	Heat‐treated meat products	Group I	Except foie gras, foie gras entier, blocs de foie gras, Libamáj, libamáj egészben, libamáj tömbben	QS
08.3.3	Casings and coatings and decorations for meat	Group I		QS
09.2	Processed fish and fishery products, including molluscs and crustaceans	Group I		QS
09.3	Fish roe	Group I	Only processed fish roe	QS
10.2	Processed eggs and egg products	Group I		QS
11.2	Other sugars and syrups	Group I		QS
11.4.1	Table top sweeteners in liquid form	E 410		QS
11.4.2	Table top sweeteners in powder form	E 410		QS
12.1.2	Salt substitutes	Group I		QS
12.2.2	Seasonings and condiments	Group I		QS
12.3	Vinegars	Group I		QS
12.4	Mustard	Group I		QS
12.5	Soups and broths	Group I		QS
12.6	Sauces	Group I		QS
12.7	Salads and savoury‐based sandwich spreads	Group I		QS
12.8	Yeast and yeast products	Group I		QS
12.9	Protein products, excluding products covered in category 1.8	Group I		QS
13.1.2	Follow‐on formulae as defined by Directive 2006/141/EC	E 410	b	1,000
13.1.3	Processed cereal‐based foods and baby foods for infants and young children as defined by Directive 2006/125/EC	E 410	Only gluten‐free cereal‐based foods c	20,000
13.1.3	Processed cereal‐based foods and baby foods for infants and young children as defined by Directive 2006/125/EC	E 410	Only processed cereal‐based foods and baby foods c	10,000
13.1.4	Other foods for young children	E 410	c	10,000
13.1.5.1	Dietary foods for infants for special medical purposes and special formulae for infants	E 410	From birth onwards in products for reduction in gastro‐esophageal reflux	10,000
13.1.5.1	Dietary foods for infants for special medical purposes and special formulae for infants	E 410	b	1,000
13.1.5.2	Dietary foods for babies and young children for special medical purposes as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC	E 410	Only gluten‐free cereal‐based foods c	20,000
13.1.5.2	Dietary foods for babies and young children for special medical purposes as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC	E 410	Only processed cereal‐based foods and baby foods c	10,000
13.1.5.2	Dietary foods for babies and young children for special medical purposes as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC	E 410	From birth onwards in products for reduction in gastro‐esophageal reflux	10,000
13.1.5.2	Dietary foods for babies and young children for special medical purposes as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC	E 410	b	1,000
13.2	Dietary foods for special medical purposes defined in Directive 1999/21/EC (excluding products from food category 13.1.5)	Group I		QS
13.3	Dietary foods for weight control diets intended to replace total daily food intake or an individual meal (the whole or part of the total daily diet)	Group I		QS
13.4	Foods suitable for people intolerant to gluten as defined by Regulation (EC) No 41/2009	Group I	Including dry pasta	QS
14.1.2	Fruit juices as defined by Directive 2001/112/EC and vegetable juices	Group I	Only vegetable juices	QS
14.1.3	Fruit nectars as defined by Directive 2001/112/EC and vegetable nectars and similar products	Group I	Only vegetable nectars	QS
14.1.4	Flavoured drinks	Group I		QS
14.1.5.2	Other	Group I	Excluding unflavoured leaf tea; including flavoured instant coffee	QS
14.2.3	Cider and perry	Group I		QS
14.2.4	Fruit wine and made wine	Group I		QS
14.2.5	Mead	Group I		QS
14.2.6	Spirit drinks as defined in Regulation (EC) No 110/2008	Group I	Except whisky or whiskey	QS
14.2.7.1	Aromatised wines	Group I		QS
14.2.7.2	Aromatised wine‐based drinks	Group I		QS
14.2.7.3	Aromatised wine‐product cocktails	Group I		QS
14.2.8	Other alcoholic drinks including mixtures of alcoholic drinks with non‐alcoholic drinks and spirits with less than 15% of alcohol	Group I		QS
15.1	Potato‐, cereal‐, flour‐ or starch‐based snacks	Group I		QS
15.2	Processed nuts	Group I		QS
16	Desserts, excluding products covered in category 1, 3 and 4	Group I		QS
17.1 d	Food supplements supplied in a solid form including capsules and tablets and similar forms, excluding chewable forms	Group I	E 410 may not be used to produce dehydrated foods intended to rehydrate on ingestion	QS
17.2 d	Food supplements supplied in a liquid form	Group I		QS
17.3 d	Food supplements supplied in a syrup‐type or chewable form	Group I		QS
18	Processed foods not covered by categories 1–17, excluding foods for infants and young children	Group I		QS

Footnotes:

• a Maximum individually or in combination with E 400–404, E 406, E 407, E 410, E 412, E 415 and E 418.
• b If more than one of the substances E 407, E 410 and E 412 is added to a foodstuff, the maximum level established for that foodstuff for each of those substances is lowered with that relative part as is present of the other substances together in that foodstuff.
• c E 410, E 412, E 414, E 415 and E 440 are authorised individually or in combination.
• d FCS 17 refers to food supplements as defined in Directive 2002/46/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council excluding food supplements for infants and young children.

Abbreviations: MPL = maximum permitted level; QS = quantum satis.

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Is locust bean gum vegan?

Yes. Locust bean gum is the ground endosperm of the seeds of the strains of carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua (L.) Taub. (Family Leguminosae). Consists mainly of a high molecular weight hydrocolloidal polysaccharide, composed of galactopyranose and mannopyranose units combined through glycosidic linkages, which may be described chemically as galactomannan.

Locust bean gum mainly consisting of high molecular weight (approximately 50,000–3,000,000) polysaccharides composed of galactomannans; the mannose:galactose ratio is about 4:1. The seeds are dehusked by treating the kernels with dilute sulfuric acid or with thermal mechanical treatments, elimination of the germ followed by milling and screening of the endosperm to obtain native carob bean gum. The gum may be washed with ethanol or isopropanol to control the microbiological load (washed carob bean gum). The gum is clarified by dispersing in hot water, filtration and precipitation with ethanol or isopropanol, filtering, drying and milling. The clarified locust bean gum (carob bean gum) does not contain cell wall materials. Clarified locust bean gum (carob bean gum) in the market is normally standardized with sugars for viscosity and reactivity.

Is locust bean gum gluten free?

Yes. Locust bean gum is the ground endosperm of the seeds of the strains of carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua (L.) Taub. (Family Leguminosae). Consists mainly of a high molecular weight hydrocolloidal polysaccharide, composed of galactopyranose and mannopyranose units combined through glycosidic linkages, which may be described chemically as galactomannan.

Locust bean gum mainly consisting of high molecular weight (approximately 50,000–3,000,000) polysaccharides composed of galactomannans; the mannose:galactose ratio is about 4:1. The seeds are dehusked by treating the kernels with dilute sulfuric acid or with thermal mechanical treatments, elimination of the germ followed by milling and screening of the endosperm to obtain native carob bean gum. The gum may be washed with ethanol or isopropanol to control the microbiological load (washed carob bean gum). The gum is clarified by dispersing in hot water, filtration and precipitation with ethanol or isopropanol, filtering, drying and milling. The clarified locust bean gum (carob bean gum) does not contain cell wall materials. Clarified locust bean gum (carob bean gum) in the market is normally standardized with sugars for viscosity and reactivity.

Is locust bean gum bad for you?

Locust bean gum is regarded as not acutely toxic, based on the results of acute oral toxicity studies ³.

Three subacute toxicity studies have been described in rats ⁸, ⁹, ¹⁰.

In a subchronic toxicity study in rats by Til et al. ¹¹, no adverse effects were reported at doses up to 4,500 mg of locust bean gum/kg body weight per day. In the National Toxicology Program ¹² study, no adverse effects were reported in mice and rats receiving doses up to 20,000 and 9,000 mg of locust bean gum/kg bw per day, respectively. The European Food Safety Authority Panel noted that National Toxicology Program study did not include hematology, urinalysis and clinical chemistry.

The available in vitro and in vivo data for genotoxicity were limited. However, no genotoxic activity was observed for locust bean gum. In addition, considering the chemical structure of locust bean gum and its negligible absorption, the European Food Safety Authority Panel concluded that there is no concern with respect to the genotoxicity of locust bean gum (E 410).

Locust bean gum was tested for carcinogenicity in mice and rats receiving doses up to 7,500 mg of locust bean gum/kg body weight per day up to 2,500 mg of locust bean gum/kg body weight per day, respectively, for 103 weeks ¹³. The European Food Safety Authority Panel noted that in these studies, locust bean gum was not carcinogenic.

The European Food Safety Authority Panel considered that no adverse effects were reported in a three‐generation reproductive toxicity study receiving doses up to 5% locust bean gum in the diet (equivalent to 4,500 mg of locust bean gum/kg body weight per day), the highest dose tested. In the prenatal developmental toxicity studies in rats and hamsters, no maternal and developmental effects were observed up to the highest dose (1,300 and 1,000 mg locust bean gum/kg body weight per day) ¹⁴.

In human adults, there are few case reports of allergy to locust bean gum after oral ingestion. However, most of the reports described rhinitis and asthma that were essentially caused by occupational contact with locust bean gum. The European Food Safety Authority Panel recognized the possible potential allergenicity of locust bean gum; however, it considered that the specification and origin of the gum are lacking in these studies. Case reports of hypersensitivity reactions associated with locust bean gum included the case of a 5‐month‐old infant; the European Food Safety Authority Panel considered that this hypersensitivity might be due to the locust bean gum proteins and therefore their content should be reduced as much as possible.

The European Food Safety Authority Panel further noted that in a group of 28 hypercholesterolemic or normal adolescents and adults treated with locust bean gum for 8 weeks, doses up to 500 mg/kg body weight per day were well tolerated without side effects ³.

Concerning uses of locust bean gum in food for infants and young children, the European Food Safety Authority Panel concurs with the Scientific Committee for Food ¹⁵ ‘… the SCF reaffirmed its earlier view that it is not persuaded that it is necessary to give thickened infant formulae to infants in good health, and that the information available on the potential effects on the bioavailability of dietary nutrients and growth in young infants is not conclusive ¹⁶. It is therefore recommended that the use of locust bean gums should not be acceptable for use in infant formulae’ and ‘The SCF recommended maintaining the current maximum level of the use of locust bean gums in follow‐on formulae of 1 g/L. The Committee further recommended maintaining the concept that if more than one of the three substances locust bean gum, guar gum or carrageenan are added to a follow‐on formula, the maximum level established for each of those substances is lowered with that relative part as is present of the other substances together’ and ‘The SCF accepted that there is a case of need for use of locust bean gums in dietary foods for special medical purposes for therapeutic use in a small number of infants with gastro‐oesophageal reflux disease under medical supervision, and the Committee considered its use in these products up to a maximum level of 10 g/L acceptable’. The European Food Safety Authority Panel endorsed the conclusions of the Scientific Committee for Food which are reflected in the current regulation for the infant formulae and follow-on formulae food category. The European Food Safety Authority Panel acknowledged that consumption of the concerned food categories would be short and noted that it is prudent to keep the number of additives used in foods for infants and young children to the minimum necessary and that there should be strong evidence of need as well as safety before additives can be regarded as acceptable for use in infant formulae and foods for infants and young children.

The European Food Safety Authority Panel noted reports suggesting a putative effect of locust bean gum to decrease the bioavailability of certain nutrients; however, a human study did not confirm this effect. For the specific group of infants of more than 12 weeks of age, the European Food Safety Authority Panel considered a case of sensitivity and reports on undesirable gastrointestinal effects, such as diarrhoea, frequent loose stools and flatulence, associated with the use of locust bean gum in products for reduction in gastro‐esophageal reflux (GER).

Furthermore, the European Food Safety Authority Panel noted that no specific clinical data addressing the safety of use of locust bean gum (E 410) in ‘dietary foods for infants for special medical purposes and special formulae for infants’ (food category 13.1.5.1) and in ‘dietary foods for baby and young children for special medical purposes as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC’ (food category 13.1.5.2) considering the defined maximum use levels were available to the European Food Safety Authority Panel.

The European Food Safety Authority Panel also noted that infants and young children consuming these foods may be exposed to a greater extent to locust bean gum (E 410) than their healthy counterparts because the permitted levels of locust bean gum (E 410) in products for special medical purposes to reduce gastro‐esophageal reflux are 10‐fold higher than in follow‐on formulae for healthy individuals. The European Food Safety Authority Panel further noted that, given their medical condition, infants and young children consuming foods belonging to these food categories may show a higher susceptibility to the gastrointestinal effects of locust bean gum than their healthy counterparts. Thus, monitoring of any adverse effects including those in the gastrointestinal system in infants and young children consuming these foods under medical supervision could be helpful to reduce this uncertainty.

From the refined estimated exposure scenario, considering only food categories for which direct addition of locust bean gum (E 410) to food is authorized, in the brand‐loyal scenario, mean exposure to locust bean gum (E 410) ranged from 35.7 mg/kg body weight per day in adults to 368.9 mg/kg body weight per day in infants. The 95th percentile of exposure ranged from 74 mg/kg body weight per day for adults to 765.2 mg/kg body weight per day in infants. In the non‐brand‐loyal scenario, mean exposure to locust bean gum (E 410) from its use as a food additive ranged from 20.7 mg/kg body weight per day for adults to 204.3 mg/kg body weight per day in infants. The 95th percentile of exposure ranged from 38.8 mg/kg body weight per day for the elderly to 415.4 mg/kg body weight per day in infants. The main contributing food categories for all population groups were foods for infants and young children and bread and rolls in both scenarios.

A refined estimated exposure assessment scenario taking into account the food for special medical purpose for infants and young children (‘Dietary foods for infants and young children for special medical purposes as defined by Commission Directive 1999/22/EC and special formulae for infants’) was also performed to estimate exposure for infants and toddlers who may be on a specific diet. Considering that this diet is required due to specific needs, it is assumed that consumers are loyal to the food brand; therefore only the refined brand‐loyal estimated exposure scenario was performed.

From this refined brand‐loyal estimated exposure scenario taking into account the foods for special medical purposes, mean exposure to locust bean gum (E 410) from its use as a food additive ranged for infants between 179 and 553 mg/kg body weight per day and between 135 and 245 mg/kg body weight per day for toddlers. The 95th percentile of exposure ranged for infants between 435 and 1,555 mg/kg body weight per day and for toddlers between 262 and 578 mg/kg body weight per day.

The European Food Safety Authority Panel considered that the uncertainties identified would, in general, result in an overestimation of the exposure to locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive according to Annex II in European countries for all scenarios.

For the general population following the conceptual framework for the risk assessment of certain food additives re‐evaluated under Commission Regulation (EU) No 257/2010 (EFSA ANS European Food Safety Authority Panel, 2014), the European Food Safety Authority Panel concluded that there is no need for a numerical acceptable daily intake (ADI) for locust bean gum (E 410), and that there is no safety concern for the general population at the refined exposure assessment for the reported uses of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive.

Concerning the use of locust bean gum (E 410) in ‘dietary foods for special medical purposes and special formulae for infants’ (Food category 13.1.5.1) and in ‘dietary foods for babies and young children for special medical purposes as defined in Directive 1999/21/EC’ (Food category 13.1.5.2), the European Food Safety Authority Panel concluded that the available data do not allow an adequate assessment of the safety of locust bean gum (E 410) in these foods for special medical purposes for infants and young children ³.

Locust bean gum side effects

In human adults, there are few case reports of allergy to locust bean gum after oral ingestion. However, most of the reports described rhinitis and asthma that were essentially caused by occupational contact with locust bean gum. The European Food Safety Authority Panel recognized the possible potential allergenicity of locust bean gum; however, it considered that the specification and origin of the gum are lacking in these studies. Case reports of hypersensitivity reactions associated with locust bean gum included the case of a 5‐month‐old infant; the European Food Safety Authority Panel considered that this hypersensitivity might be due to the locust bean gum proteins and therefore their content should be reduced as much as possible ³.

The European Food Safety Authority Panel further noted that in a group of 28 hypercholesterolemic or normal adolescents and adults treated with locust bean gum for 8 weeks, doses up to 500 mg/kg body weight per day were well tolerated without side effects ³.

References

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2. LRSO/FASEB (1972) Evaluation of the health aspects of carob bean gum as a food – SCOGS-3. Prepared for Bureau of Foods, US Food and Drug Administration Contract No. FDA 72-85
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