Diagnosis · Lumps — hydration window missed
The hydration window was never reached
Gellan needs roughly 85–95 °C and shear to hydrate fully. Below that the particles swell, the solution thickens and it looks dispersed — then leaves grit, a hazy gel or a weak set after cooling.
What to do
- Take it to 90–95 °C and hold for 5–10 minutes under shear, and confirm it by looking for a clear, uniform solution.
- Judge hydration on the cooled gel rather than the hot liquid. Haze in the set gel is unhydrated polymer.
- Heat the water first, then add the blend. Do not try to raise the temperature by dumping powder into a boiling, splashing batch — it foams and clumps.
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?
No — it goes into cooler water, or a still tank
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 — process details to check
- 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.