Use of Carob Gum in Ice Cream
Carob gum (E410) is one of the longest-used stabilizers in the ice cream industry. The smooth texture of ice cream depends on how much the ice crystals grow during storage; carob gum helps slow this growth, giving the mixture body and delaying melting. It is most often included in stabilizer blends with other hydrocolloids such as carrageenan, guar gum, or xanthan because it has some limitations when used alone.
In this article, we discuss the functions of carob gum in ice cream, its role in ice crystal control, its synergy with carrageenan and xanthan, the points to be considered in the production process and the findings obtained from studies conducted in Turkey.
Why is Stabilizer Needed in Ice Cream?
Ice cream; It is a complex structure consisting of ice crystals, air bubbles, fat globules, and an unfrozen dark serum phase between them. When freezing ice cream, most of the water turns into ice; sugar, milk proteins, salts, and stabilizers are concentrated in the remaining unfrozen serum phase (Wu et al., 2025). The characteristics of this serum phase determine both the texture and melting behavior of the ice cream.
The most challenging situation for the quality of ice cream is temperature fluctuations during storage and distribution. When the freezer door is opened, the product is transported, or the shelf temperature changes, some of the small ice crystals melt, then when the temperature drops, this water refreezes on the larger crystals. This process is called recrystallization. Ultimately, the crystals grow and the ice cream begins to have a gritty, icy mouthfeel.
The main functions of stabilizers in ice cream are:
- To give body and fullness to the ice cream by increasing the viscosity of the mixture,
- Slowing down ice crystal growth during storage,
- Reducing the melting rate and helping the melting ice cream maintain its shape,
- Limiting phase separation and serum release in the mixture.
Wu et al. (2025) count sodium alginate, carboxymethyl cellulose, carrageenan, gelatin, guar gum, carob gum, microcrystalline cellulose, and xanthan gum among common stabilizers in ice cream and frozen desserts.
How Does the Carob Gum Control Ice Crystals?
The most important contribution of carob gum in ice cream is that it slows down ice crystal growth during temperature fluctuations. In one of the most frequently cited studies on this subject, carob gum or guar gum was added to ice cream mixes and the products were subjected to thermal shock (temperature fluctuation) application. In ice creams containing both gamuts, smaller ice crystals were obtained after thermal shock compared to the control samples; carob gum was found to be more effective than guar gum in inhibiting recrystallization. Researchers have found that there is a certain optimum concentration for carob gum and that there is no additional inhibition when this concentration is exceeded (Sutton and Wilcox, 1998).
Another study examining sweetener and stabilizer interactions also reported that carrageenan and carob gum were the most effective stabilizers in retarding ice crystal growth in general, but this was not the case in all conditions (Miller-Livney and Hartel, 1997). This "not in all conditions" emphasis is important: the effect of the stabilizer may vary depending on the type of sugar used, the dry matter ratio, and the other components of the formula.
Cryogel formation
One of the mechanisms explaining this effect of carob gum is "cryogelation". Under normal conditions, carob gum does not form a gel on its own; however, as stated in EFSA's 2017 report, it can form a gel during the freeze-thaw process. In a study conducted with freezing model systems, carob gum solutions developed weak gel structures with sub-zero temperature cycles, especially in the presence of skimmed milk dry matter; it was reported that this behavior was not observed in guar gum solutions. In the same study, it was observed that oil droplets prevented the carob gum from forming a weak gel network, and it was emphasized that realistic model systems containing oil gave different rheological responses (Patmore et al., 2003).
Wu et al. (2025) also state that some hydrocolloids, such as xanthan, carob gum, and alginate, form cryogels at freezing temperatures, which may contribute to reducing the melting rate and maintaining the shape of the melting ice cream.
Consistency, Body, and Melt Resistance
The carob gamut increases the viscosity of the ice cream mixture, giving the product a full body. According to the data provided by EFSA, 1% carob gamut solutions are highly viscous (2,000–6,000 mPa·s) and the gamut maintains its viscosity to a large extent in the pH range of 3–11. The ratios used in ice cream are much lower than this; however, even these low ratios can significantly change the flow behavior of the mixture.
The contribution of carob gum in terms of melting resistance has also been shown by studies. In a recent study conducted in Turkey, guar gum, carob gum, xanthan gum, and carboxymethyl cellulose were microencapsulated with iota-carrageenan matrix and tested in ice cream. All encapsulated stabilizers improved rheological behavior, melting resistance, and texture compared to the control; carob gum extended the first drip time by over 25% (Kilinc & İlkilinc, 2026). In the same study, it was stated that carob gum increased the body and smoothness of ice cream through synergistic gelation interactions.
However, increasing the amount of carob gamut does not always work better. The optimum concentration effect found by Sutton and Wilcox (1998) indicates that excessive use of stabilizers does not provide additional benefits. In practice, too much stabilizer can create a gummy, heavy texture in ice cream that is extremely resistant to melting. Therefore, the amount of stabilizer should be determined by considering the entire formula.
Synergy: Combined Use with Carrageenan and Xanthan
The reason why carob gum is rarely used alone in ice cream is that it shows a strong synergy with other hydrocolloids. According to the EFSA report, when carob gum is used in combination with carrageenan, xanthan gum and agar, there is a much higher increase in viscosity or gel strength than the sum of the individual components, giving the gels an elastic character and delaying syneresis.
Synergy with carrageenan and serum separation
Galactomannans, such as carob gum, are not fully compatible with milk proteins. Patmore et al. (2003) noted that a mismatch between protein and stabilizer can lead to phase separation. In ice cream mixes, this can manifest itself as differentiation of the top and bottom of the mixture during maturation, i.e., serum separation ("wheying off" in English).
Kappa-carrageenan assumes an integral role at this point. According to a compilation by Russo Spena and Grizzuti (2025), kappa-carrageenan selectively interacts with kappa-casein on the surface of casein micelles, forming electrostatic complexes that stabilize suspensions and promoting a weak gelation even at concentrations as low as 0.01–0.02%. These interactions prevent cocoa precipitation in cocoa milk, for example, or serum separation in ice cream mixes.
The same review states that mixtures of kappa-carrageenan and carob gum yield stronger and more functional gels than those formed by both polymers alone. In a study conducted at Işık University in Turkey, the synergy between kappa-carrageenan and carob gum was examined by light transmittance technique; slight synergistic peaks were observed at gel-sol and sol-gel transition temperatures at high carrageenan/gum ratios of approximately 80/2, and significant synergistic peaks were observed in the activation energies of these transitions at ratios of approximately 80/10 (Arda et al., 2009).
There are also studies showing the contribution of carrageenan-containing mixtures to ice crystal control in ice cream. In whey-based ice creams, two stabilizer systems were compared, in which carob gum and guar gum were used together with kappa- or iota-carrageenan; the iota-carrageenan mixture was the most effective system in inhibiting recrystallization. At the end of three months of storage, the ice crystal diameter was 28 μm in this sample and 68 μm in the unadulterated sample (Kamińska-Dwórznicka et al., 2022).
Synergy with xanthan
The synergy between carob gum and xanthan gum is also widely used in the food industry. Together, these two gums can create viscosity and elastic structure that they cannot provide alone. In ice cream, xanthan helps the mixture thicken in the cold, while carob gum contributes to ice crystal control. Kilinc and İlkilinc (2026) also reported in their study that xanthan gum provides the highest structural strength during melting.
Studies Conducted in Turkey: From Salep to Carob Gum
Although salep is the first component that comes to mind when it comes to stabilizers in Turkish ice cream culture, the carob gum has been evaluated as an alternative or auxiliary to salep, especially in domestic research.
In a study conducted on Kahramanmaraş type ice creams, ice creams were produced with four different combinations containing carob gum, carboxymethyl cellulose, guar gum and sodium alginate, with a total stabilizer amount of 1.0%, and compared with the control sample produced with salep extract alone during six months of storage. Ice creams containing only salep were found to have lower viscosity, harder and less resistant to melting; stabilizer mixtures containing carob gum gave better results than salep extract (Güven et al., 2003).
In a master's thesis on carob molasses ice creams conducted at Akdeniz University, kappa-carrageenan, xanthan and carob gum were used in the range of 0.0-0.6%; the most popular example in the sensory panel was ice cream containing 0.4% carob gamut, 0.1% carrageenan and 0.1% xanthan (Badem, 2006). This result is in line with the general approach that carob gum works best when used in a balanced mixture with other hydrocolloids and not alone.
Points to Consider in Production
The ability of carob gum to have the expected effect in ice cream largely depends on its correct use.
1. Prevent clumping. Gum can form lumps when added directly to liquid in powder form. In practice, gum is usually added to the mixture slowly and under good mixing, usually pre-mixed with dry ingredients such as sugar.
2. Do not skip heat treatment. According to the EFSA report, carob gum swells in cold water, but heating is required for full solubility. Pasteurization of the ice cream mixture is also important in this respect; if the gum is not sufficiently hydrated, it may lead to the expected viscosity and stabilization effect not being achieved. It should be taken into account that carob gum alone may not be sufficient in cold processed formulas.
3. Give it time to ripen. The pasteurized and homogenized mixture is kept in the cold for a while before freezing. At this stage, the stabilizers complete its hydration and the structure of the mixture settles.
4. Evaluate the formula as a whole. The effect of carob gum varies with sugar type, fat content, milk solids, and other stabilizers. Patmore et al. (2003) showed that fat droplets affect the gel network formation of the gum, while Miller-Livney and Hartel (1997) showed that the stabilizer effect can vary depending on the interaction with sweeteners.
5. Check regulatory compliance. According to the EU list in EFSA's 2017 report, the carob gum can be used in the category of "edible ices" (ice creams) in a quantity sufficient for the purpose with the principle of quantum satis, that is, without a numerical upper limit. According to the data reported by the industry in the same report, the typical level of use in this category is given as an average of 1,506 mg/kg (approximately 0.15%), the typical range is 585–3,766.7 mg/kg and the highest level is 8,000 mg/kg in a notification based on 86 data. In Turkey, the current provisions of the Turkish Food Codex Food Additives Regulation should be taken as basis.
Carob Gum in Homemade Ice Cream
The carob gum can be used in industrial production as well as in home and boutique production. However, it is important here to measure small quantities correctly and to hydrate the gum with heat. A practical method is to mix the gum with sugar and heat it with milk, then cool and rest the mixture. Since temperature fluctuations are frequent in home freezers, the stabilizer's effect of limiting ice crystal growth can help delay the icing of homemade ice cream after a few days.
It should be noted that carob gamut and carob powder are different products: carob powder gives flavor and color to ice cream, while carob gamut regulates the structure. For information about carob powder What is Carob Flour Powder? You can take a look at our article.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does carob gum do in ice cream? It gives body to the mixture, slows ice crystal growth during storage, and helps delay melting.
Why is carob gum used with carrageenan? Since the carob gum is not fully compatible with milk proteins, it can lead to serum separation in the mixture. Kappa-carrageenan helps prevent this separation by interacting with milk proteins; the two hydrocolloids also show a synergy that reinforces each other.
Is carob gum a substitute for salep? In a study conducted on Kahramanmaraş type ice creams, stabilizer mixtures containing carob gum gave better results than samples using only salep. However, this result does not completely eliminate the place of salep in traditional products; stabilizer selection should be made according to the targeted product type.
Can carob gum be added to cold mix? The gum swells in cold water but needs heating for complete dissolution. The best results are obtained by hydrating the mixture during pasteurization.
Carob Seed with Carob Türkiye
The raw material of the carob gum used in the ice cream industry is carob seed. The quality of the gum is closely related to the cleanliness, classification and processing conditions of the core.
At Carob Türkiye, we supply carob fruit, crumb, flour/powder, kernel and extract. Structure of kernel What is Carob Seed? You can read it in our article, for product information Carob Seed You can review our page. For your wholesale and export requests Contact Now You can contact us on our page.
Domestic resources
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