Diagnosis · Lumps — process details to check
Three process details left to check
If the powder is dry blended and the water is hot, the remaining causes are all about rate and order rather than chemistry.
What to do
- Carrier ratio. One to ten is a starting point; a very fine or sticky grade may need one to fifteen.
- Addition rate. Dumping the whole blend in creates a local high concentration. Meter it in over 30–60 seconds.
- Order of addition. Dissolved salts and sugar raise the density and slow wetting — add the gellan blend before the salts wherever the process allows.
- Sieve first if the powder is caked or has picked up moisture. Agglomerated lumps will never dissolve.
The reading behind this
How this conclusion was reached
What is actually going wrong?
Lumps, fish eyes or undissolved powder
Did you dry blend the powder with sugar, salt or a starch carrier before adding it to the water?
Yes, it was dry blended
Is the water above roughly 80 °C and under shear when the blend goes in?
Yes, hot and agitated
Check this against your own system
This describes the usual cause. What actually fixes it depends on your water hardness, total solids and fill temperature — send those three numbers and we will come back with a starting point, or with a bench sample of the grade this points to.
Ask about this diagnosisOther conclusions
Everything else the tree can land on
- Gel too soft — no calcium present
- Gel too soft — water hardness unknown
- Gel too soft — high acyl grade
- Gel too soft — low pH hydrolysis
- Gel too soft — remaining causes
- Lumps — powder not dry blended
- Lumps — hydration window missed
- Pre-gelation — in the line
- Pre-gelation — free calcium
- Pre-gelation — cold tank
- Syneresis — water weeping
- Gel cloudy or dull
- Gel melts when warm
- Particles settle
- Slimy mouthfeel or off flavour
Other tools
Keep going
Three more decision aids for the same problem set.