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A research from Dr SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology (UICET) at Panjab University will help Indian makers of the guar seed powder - widely used in petrochemical, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries - to cut down production costs and increase productivity.
India exports around 85% of world's total guar gum powder - also known as 'black gold' locally, with US being its biggest importer. Haryana (with parts of adjoining Punjab), Rajasthan and Gujarat adjoining Haryana are the major producers of this bean. Guar gum is the ground tissue extracted from within guar seeds.
Researchers at UICET have found a chemical that can be used to treat the guar seeds for easy dehusking before extracting the tissue and converting it into a powder form. They have also developed a better model of the traditional dehulling machine that uses less energy.
"The traditional process of removing the husk and converting the seeds into the powder caused a loss of around 17% of the intended material. The mechanism developed by our researchers has cut down these losses to less than 2.5%," said UICET chairperson U S Shivhare. Explaining the process, he said that husk used to remain and mixed in the powder in the traditional process - thereby making it less effective. Also, the traditional process caused some loss of the material as well
Shivhare added, "Even the dehulling machine we have developed as part of the same research is more energy efficient - using 40 % less energy. So, the overall productivity has improved with this mechanism."
The department chairperson didn't name the chemical used in the process, with two pending patents that have been filed by the department.
The demand for guar gum powder has seen a major surge over the last few years. It acts as a water-thickening agent, a binding agent and retains moisture. It is also the main ingredient 'fracking', a process used to extract natural gas from beneath the earth.
Panjab University's research to benefit 'black gold' exporters - The Times of India
India exports around 85% of world's total guar gum powder - also known as 'black gold' locally, with US being its biggest importer. Haryana (with parts of adjoining Punjab), Rajasthan and Gujarat adjoining Haryana are the major producers of this bean. Guar gum is the ground tissue extracted from within guar seeds.
Researchers at UICET have found a chemical that can be used to treat the guar seeds for easy dehusking before extracting the tissue and converting it into a powder form. They have also developed a better model of the traditional dehulling machine that uses less energy.
"The traditional process of removing the husk and converting the seeds into the powder caused a loss of around 17% of the intended material. The mechanism developed by our researchers has cut down these losses to less than 2.5%," said UICET chairperson U S Shivhare. Explaining the process, he said that husk used to remain and mixed in the powder in the traditional process - thereby making it less effective. Also, the traditional process caused some loss of the material as well
Shivhare added, "Even the dehulling machine we have developed as part of the same research is more energy efficient - using 40 % less energy. So, the overall productivity has improved with this mechanism."
The department chairperson didn't name the chemical used in the process, with two pending patents that have been filed by the department.
The demand for guar gum powder has seen a major surge over the last few years. It acts as a water-thickening agent, a binding agent and retains moisture. It is also the main ingredient 'fracking', a process used to extract natural gas from beneath the earth.
Panjab University's research to benefit 'black gold' exporters - The Times of India
