Rheological properties of lesquerella gum fractions recovered by aqueous extraction

Lesquerella fendleri seeds contain a cross-linked carbohydrate gum with viscoelastic properties that may be used for industrial and edible applications. Laboratory studies compared the rheological behavior of gum isolates obtained from whole seed, defatted hull, and defatted meal fractions. Gum yields and rheological properties were determined for gum isolates from each of these fractions. All gum isolates exhibited positive hysteresis, which provided evidence of structure formation in 1% solutions. Values of storage and loss modulus were reported from oscillatory experiments over an angular frequency range of 0.1 to 100 rad/s using a controlled-stress rheometer. Whole seed meal appears to be the most cost-effective fraction from which to recover gums. Published by Elsevier Science B.V.