Viscosifying properties of corn fiber gum with various polysaccharides

The effect of corn fiber gum (CFG) on the aqueous solutions of a series of widely-used commercial polysaccharides has been studied by rheological techniques using a shear stress synergism index IS to evaluate its viscosifying action. While CFG solution exhibited Newtonian fluid behavior with a very low viscosity even at a high concentration, the aqueous mixtures of CFG and some non-gelling polysaccharides (hyaluronan, guar gum, carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, konjac glucomannan, pectin and chitosan) showed a pseudoplastic fluid behavior. Furthermore, the addition of CFG showed a remarkable viscosifying action for the aqueous solutions of these non-gelling polysaccharides likely due to their interaction by hydrogen bonding. However, the viscosity behavior of CFG with some gelling polysaccharides such as methylcellulose, gellan gum, carrageenan, xanthan, may be based on a different mechanism. A proper model of intermolecular interaction between CFG and these gelling and non-gelling polysaccharides has been discussed and proposed.