Tool 03 · By application
Gellan Gum Dosage Reference Table
Typical usage ranges for 32 applications, with the grade, hydration temperature, set temperature and ion requirement for each one.
Showing 32 applications
| Application | Grade | Typical dosage | Hydration | Ion requirement | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ready-to-drink beverages Beverages | LA | 0.010–0.025 % 0.10–0.25 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Free Ca²⁺ or Mg²⁺ required; 0.02–0.05% calcium chloride or a mineral source | Dose for suspension, not for a set gel. Overshooting turns the drink slimy. |
| Juice with pulp or particulates Beverages | LA | 0.015–0.030 % 0.15–0.30 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Add 0.02–0.05% calcium chloride, or rely on a calcium-fortified base | Pulp density and particle size set the minimum dose, not the juice itself. |
| Mineral and fortified waters Beverages | LA | 0.010–0.025 % 0.10–0.25 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 25–45 °C | Native calcium may already be enough — test the water first | Water hardness varies by source and season. It is the hidden variable. |
| Acidified milk drinks and drinking yoghurt Beverages | LA | 0.020–0.050 % 0.20–0.50 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Milk calcium, plus a sequestrant to hold the set back until after filling | Hydrate and dissolve first, acidify afterwards. Never the other way round. |
| Carbonated soft drinks Beverages | LA | 0.008–0.020 % 0.08–0.20 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Add calcium; soften the water first if hardness is high | Hard process water pre-gelates the powder before it dissolves. |
| Ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages Beverages | LA | 0.015–0.040 % 0.15–0.40 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 25–45 °C | Hydrate fully before the alcohol goes in; test carefully above about 15% ABV | Build the gel structure before the alcohol is blended in. |
| Plant-based milk and barista drinks Dairy & plant-based | LA | 0.015–0.040 % 0.15–0.40 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Fortification calcium, plus a sequestrant if the drink is UHT treated | Sedimentation in plant milk is usually a dose or ion problem, not a grade problem. |
| Plant-based yoghurt Dairy & plant-based | LA | 0.020–0.060 % 0.20–0.60 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Added calcium; a sequestrant is usually necessary before acidification | Set the structure before the culture acidifies the base. |
| Plant-based cheese analogues Dairy & plant-based | LA | 0.100–0.300 % 1.00–3.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Added calcium, or the salt blend already in the recipe | Works alongside starch and protein. Watch the melt behaviour, not the firmness. |
| Plant-based egg Dairy & plant-based | LA | 0.200–0.500 % 2.00–5.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 60–80 °C | Added calcium; the gel must set on heating, not on cooling | Judge it on the cooked texture — the set has to happen during cooking, not before. Most commercial systems pair the gellan with a heat-setting co-ingredient. |
| Ice cream and frozen desserts Dairy & plant-based | LA | 0.020–0.060 % 0.20–0.60 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 20–40 °C | Milk calcium is usually sufficient | Controls ice crystal growth and meltdown rather than building the body. |
| Jelly candy and gummies Confectionery & desserts | LA | 0.100–0.300 % 1.00–3.00 g/kg | High solids, 85–95 °C sets 60–80 °C | Added calcium, or a buffered salt system | Hydrate before the syrup is concentrated. High sugar slows dispersion badly. |
| Turkish delight and soft confectionery Confectionery & desserts | LA | 0.050–0.200 % 0.50–2.00 g/kg | High solids, 85–95 °C sets 60–80 °C | Added calcium; a sequestrant helps delay the set | Pre-disperse in a dry carrier — the sugar syrup competes for the water. |
| Marshmallow Confectionery & desserts | HA | 0.020–0.080 % 0.20–0.80 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 70–80 °C | Tolerates whatever ions the recipe already carries | High acyl gives the soft, elastic chew. Low acyl would break instead of stretch. |
| Fruit preparations and jams Confectionery & desserts | LA | 0.030–0.100 % 0.30–1.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Fruit calcium varies widely; add calcium if the preparation stays soft | An acidic fruit base needs a higher dose and a late acid addition. |
| Jelly desserts in cups Confectionery & desserts | LA | 0.150–0.400 % 1.50–4.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Added calcium or a buffered salt system | The classic brittle, clean-break gel. High acyl gives a soft elastic texture instead. |
| Custard and cream desserts Confectionery & desserts | LA | 0.030–0.100 % 0.30–1.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Milk calcium, plus a sequestrant for UHT versions | Usually paired with starch, which supplies most of the body. |
| Bakery fruit fillings Bakery & savoury | LA | 0.050–0.150 % 0.50–1.50 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Add calcium; a sequestrant helps the filling survive the bake | Must hold water through the bake without weeping into the pastry. |
| Ketchup and tomato sauces Bakery & savoury | LA | 0.030–0.080 % 0.30–0.80 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Tomato solids and added salt already supply ions | Controls syneresis more reliably than starch alone. |
| Chilli and hot sauces Bakery & savoury | LA | 0.030–0.080 % 0.30–0.80 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Add calcium; use a sequestrant in high-salt recipes | Keeps particulates suspended for months without a visible sediment line. |
| Reduced-fat mayonnaise and dressings Bakery & savoury | LA | 0.020–0.060 % 0.20–0.60 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Add calcium; check acid stability at the finished pH | Acid and shear both work against the gel. Add the acid phase last. |
| Noodle and starch-based products Bakery & savoury | LA | 0.020–0.060 % 0.20–0.60 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 60–80 °C | Add calcium to the dough water | Improves bite and reduces starch loss into the cooking water. |
| Restructured and formed meats Bakery & savoury | LA | 0.100–0.300 % 1.00–3.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Meat minerals are usually enough on their own | Judged on bind and sliceability after cooking rather than on gel strength. |
| Toothpaste and oral care Health & personal care | LA | 0.200–0.600 % 2.00–6.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–70 °C | Very high electrolyte load; this is the reason to choose gellan | Tolerates electrolyte levels that collapse a carbomer structure. |
| Cosmetic gels and serums Health & personal care | LA | 0.100–0.500 % 1.00–5.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Native or added ions, depending on the actives present | Declare as gellan gum on the INCI list. Check the preservation system first. |
| Oral suspensions and syrups Health & personal care | LA | 0.100–0.500 % 1.00–5.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Ionic actives can pre-gel the batch — add the gellan last | Requires a grade that meets the relevant pharmacopoeial monograph. |
| In-situ gelling eye drops Health & personal care | LA | 0.100–0.500 % 1.00–5.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–40 °C | Sodium, and calcium, in the tear film trigger the gel after instillation | Stays liquid in the bottle and gels on contact. Pharmacopoeial grade only. |
| Thickened liquids for dysphagia Health & personal care | LA | 0.050–0.200 % 0.50–2.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 30–50 °C | Hard water and milk both change the dose required | Starch thickeners thin in the mouth; a gellan-based system holds its level. |
| Plant tissue culture media Industrial & biotech | LA | 0.150–0.300 % 1.50–3.00 g/kg | 90–95 °C, then cool sets 30–50 °C | Media salts supply the ions | Clear gels that survive autoclaving, at roughly a quarter of the agar dose. |
| Microbiological media Industrial & biotech | LA | 0.800–1.000 % 8.00–10.00 g/kg | 90–95 °C, then cool sets 40–60 °C | Media salts supply the ions | Substitute for agar where colony visibility and clarity matter. |
| Aquafeed and pellet binders Industrial & biotech | LA | 0.100–0.500 % 1.00–5.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Feed minerals; extra calcium may be needed | Judged on pellet water stability, not on gel strength. |
| Wet pet food jelly Industrial & biotech | LA | 0.100–0.400 % 1.00–4.00 g/kg | 85–95 °C sets 40–60 °C | Meat minerals; check the retort step separately | Must survive retort without syneresis. Test in the actual can or pouch. |
Percentages are weight for weight in the finished product. Every range is a starting point for bench work — water hardness, total solids and grade all shift the answer.
Already published on E418.org
Other tools
Keep going
Three more decision aids for the same problem set.