Printer friendly versionIntroduction
For the first full issue of the Cybercolloids Review there have been some changes from the preliminary edition. The format of our patent references has been changed and now includes the official abstract found on the front page of each published patent as well as our own comment on that patent. We have also included a reference number that will be used in the text to making finding the abstract easier. We hope the new format addresses some of the suggestions we received from the trial edition and if anyone has any comment then please let us know.
This edition focuses on Carob and Locust Bean Gum. It is clear from reading the academic literature, talking to suppliers and talking to end users that there is a gap in the knowledge train. End users often have only the vaguest notion of how a particular hydrocolloid is produced and a primary manufacturer often does not have detailed knowledge of why his gum is being utilised in a particular application. This is obviously a generalisation and I am sure everyone can point to exceptions, but generally speaking there is not a true breadth of knowledge of why his gum is being utilised in a particular application. This is obviously a generalisation and I am sure everyone can point to exceptions, but generally speaking there is not a true breadth of knowledge either with raw material suppliers or with end users.
This is a great shame because the detailed knowledge of plant varieties and the type of gum they produce does not permeate to the academic community or the end users. All too often a piece of academic work states its materials as 'LBG from company X' or 'carrageenan from company Y' and the crucial knowledge of exactly what that material was is lost. Cybercolloids hopes to address some of these gaps with a series of articles on various hydrocolloids giving basic information on all aspects of the gum from its sourcing through to its end use. To start things off we have a Carob special in this quarter that will hopefully contain something new for all readers, a lot of readers will know 80-90% of what is written but the extra 10-20% should be useful.
In future issues we hope to continue with various general knowledge articles, so far in the pipeline we have a rheology special and another one on konjac which has recently been approved for use in foods in the EU.
This website and all its content is covered by our standard terms and conditions.