Viscosifying properties of corn fiber gum with various polysaccharides

The effect of corn fiber gum (CFG) on the aqueous solutions of a series of widely-used commercial polysaccharides has been studied by rheological techniques using a shear stress synergism index I S to evaluate its viscosifying action. While CFG solution exhibited Newtonian fluid behavior with a very low viscosity even at a high concentration, the aqueous mixtures of CFG and some non-gelling polysaccharides (hyaluronan, guar gum , carboxymethylcellulose, hydroxyethylcellulose, konjac glucomannan , pectin and chitosan) showed a pseudoplastic fluid behavior. Furthermore, the addition of CFG showed a remarkable viscosifying action for the aqueous solutions of these non-gelling polysaccharides likely due to their interaction by hydrogen bonding. However, the viscosity behavior of CFG with some gelling polysaccharides such as methylcellulose, gellan gum , carrageenan , xanthan, may be based on a different mechanism. A proper model of intermolecular interaction between CFG and these gelling and non-gelling polysaccharides has been discussed and proposed.