PURIFICATION, FRAGMENTATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF GUM FROM Cyamopsis tetragonolobus TO ENHANCE ITS NUTRACEUTICAL ATTRIBUTES

Guar gum was purified to remove impurities like proteins, fibers and fats and hydrolyze by different chemical and enzymatic means to decrease its roughness and increase thermal stability etc. Swelling ratio of crude guar gum was 2.73 g that was higher than purified (2.57g), base (2.49g), acid (2.23 g). and enzyme (2.31) hydrolyzed samples. Fourier Transform Infra Red analysis of crude guar gum showed a broad peak at 3298 cm^-1, 2916 cm^−1 and 1217 cm^−1 due to stretching modes of OH, CH and aliphatic amines respectively whereas in the purified and acid hydrolyzed gum (PGG), slight modifications were observed and peaks for OH and CH were noted at 3257 cm^−1 and 2923 cm^−1 and, 2920 cm^−1 and 3290 cm^−1 and peaks of aliphatic amines were absent. No major functional group transformations during enzymatic hydrolysis of guar gum was detected. X-Ray Diffraction Spectroscopic analysis of enzymatically hydrolyzed guar gum has confirmed the increase in crystallinity as well as fragmentation. Granular form of guar gum was changed into fibrillar structure after enzymatic hydrolysis revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy whereas Electron Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy demonstrated higher percentage of carbon 59.03% and oxygen 40.97% in guar gum. Thermo Gravimetric Analysis for crude and hydrolyzed guar gum depicted thermal sustainability by demonstrating curve at 80°C and 100°C. Presence of mannose and arabinose were detected by High Performance Liquid Chromatography. There are many drawbacks to use the native gums while hydrolysis and fragmentation has exhibited the potential to overcome these pitfalls and applicable further.