Diagnosis · Pre-gelation — in the line
The batch crossed its set temperature on the way to the filler
Low acyl gellan sets very quickly once the temperature falls through roughly 30–50 °C. In a long fill line, the last packs meet a gel that is already forming, so the earliest packs and the latest ones are different products.
What to do
- Raise and hold the fill temperature above the set point — typically 60–70 °C for a suspension system.
- Insulate or trace-heat the line. A length of steel pipe is a heat exchanger, especially in a cold room.
- Where the product must be filled cool, add a sequestrant to hold the calcium back until after filling.
- Measure the product temperature at the filler head, not in the tank. They are routinely 10–20 °C apart.
The reading behind this
How this conclusion was reached
What is actually going wrong?
It sets before I can fill it
Is the batch setting inside the tank, or on the way down a long fill line?
On the way down the line — the first packs are fine
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
- Lumps — process details to check
- 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.