Publish Time: 2026-06-22 Origin: Unionchem
Table of Contents
Plant-based beverages present a formulation challenge that looks deceptively simple from the outside.
The consumer picks up a carton of oat milk, shakes it, pours it into their coffee, and expects it to behave like dairy milk — uniform, stable, creamy, with no visible sediment at the bottom of the carton and no separation layer floating at the top. What they do not see is the stabilizer system that makes that behavior possible, and how much formulation work goes into getting it right.
Protein particles, calcium fortification, plant-based fats, and starch granules do not naturally stay suspended in water. Left to their own devices, they settle. They separate. They form hard, unredispersable sediment cakes. They create a thin, watery mouthfeel that signals low quality to the consumer — even if the nutritional profile is excellent.
Gellan gum — specifically high acyl (HA) gellan gum — is one of the most effective solutions to this problem. At concentrations as low as 0.01% to 0.03%, it creates a weak gel network throughout the beverage that holds particles in suspension, prevents sedimentation, and delivers a clean, natural mouthfeel without making the drink feel thick or heavy.
This guide is for food technologists, R&D formulators, and procurement teams working on plant-based milk, oat drink, nut milk, pea protein beverage, and other plant-based beverage formulations. It covers how gellan gum works in these systems, how to choose the right grade, how to process it correctly, how to troubleshoot common problems, and how it compares with alternative stabilizers.
Unionchem supplies both HA and LA gellan gum for food and beverage applications:Gellan Gum — Unionchem Product Page
To understand why gellan gum works so well in plant-based beverages, it helps to first understand the specific stabilization problem these products present.
A typical plant-based milk contains:
Protein particles (from oat, soy, pea, almond, rice, or other plant sources) — insoluble or partially soluble, with a density greater than water
Calcium carbonate or tricalcium phosphate (for fortification) — dense inorganic particles that settle rapidly
Plant-derived fats or added oils — less dense than water, prone to creaming (rising to the top)
Starch granules or fiber particles (in oat and grain-based drinks) — variable density, prone to settling
In the absence of a stabilizer, all of these components will separate over time. The rate of separation depends on particle size, density difference, and the viscosity of the continuous phase — but in a typical beverage with low bulk viscosity, separation will occur within hours to days.
The instinctive response to a settling problem is to increase viscosity — add more thickener, make the continuous phase more viscous, slow down particle movement. This works in theory, but in practice it creates a different problem: the beverage becomes thick, heavy, and syrupy. Consumers reject it. The mouthfeel is wrong.
The plant-based beverage category has a fundamental requirement that makes it different from, say, a sauce or a dressing: the product must be both stable and thin. It must pour like milk, feel like milk in the mouth, and still hold its particles in suspension for weeks on shelf.
This is a rheological contradiction that conventional thickeners cannot resolve. You cannot achieve both low bulk viscosity and high suspension stability with a simple viscosity-building polymer at practical use levels.
Gellan gum resolves this contradiction through a fundamentally different mechanism.
The key to understanding gellan gum in beverages is the concept of the fluid gel.
A fluid gel is a material that has the internal structure of a gel — a three-dimensional polymer network that can hold particles in place — but behaves like a liquid when poured or consumed, because the gel network is weak enough to break under the shear forces of normal handling.
In practical terms:
At rest (on shelf): the gellan gum network is intact. Particles are immobilized within the gel structure. Sedimentation is prevented.
Under shear (shaking, pouring, drinking): the network breaks. The beverage flows freely, pours cleanly, and feels thin and refreshing in the mouth.
After shear (back at rest): the network reforms. Suspension is restored.
This behavior — gel at rest, fluid under shear — is the defining characteristic of a fluid gel, and it is what makes HA gellan gum uniquely suited to plant-based beverage stabilization.
Gellan gum exists in two forms with fundamentally different properties:
High Acyl (HA) Gellan Gum — retains its acyl groups (acetyl and glyceryl substituents) from fermentation. These groups:
Prevent tight chain packing, producing soft, elastic, weak gels
Enable fluid gel formation at very low concentrations
Create a smooth, creamy mouthfeel
Provide suspension without building bulk viscosity
Low Acyl (LA) Gellan Gum — acyl groups are removed during processing. Without them:
Chains pack tightly in the presence of cations, producing firm, brittle, clear gels
Gel strength is high — suitable for structured food applications (jellies, confectionery, microbial media)
Not suitable for beverage suspension — the gel is too firm and does not flow freely
For plant-based beverage stabilization, HA gellan gum is the correct grade in virtually all cases. LA gellan gum is not appropriate for this application.
For a complete explanation of HA vs LA gellan gum properties and applications, see:What Is Gellan Gum? Low Acyl vs High Acyl Gellan Gum Explained
Oat milk is the fastest-growing plant-based beverage category globally. Its characteristic creamy texture comes partly from enzymatic processing of oat starch, but the stability of the final product — particularly the suspension of residual starch granules and beta-glucan particles — requires a stabilizer system.
HA gellan gum in oat milk:
Suspends residual starch and fiber particles throughout the shelf life
Prevents the characteristic "oat sludge" that forms at the bottom of unstabilized oat drinks
Contributes to the creamy mouthfeel that consumers associate with high-quality oat milk
Remains stable through UHT processing and extended shelf life at ambient temperature
Typical use level: 0.01% – 0.025% HA gellan gum
Oat milk formulations often also include a small amount of xanthan gum or locust bean gum alongside gellan gum to fine-tune the mouthfeel and flow behavior. Gellan gum provides the suspension structure; xanthan gum contributes to the viscosity profile and pourability.
Soy milk is one of the most established plant-based beverage categories, but it presents specific stabilization challenges: soy protein particles are prone to aggregation, especially after heat treatment, and calcium-fortified soy milk must keep dense calcium particles in suspension.
HA gellan gum in soy milk:
Creates a fluid gel network that holds soy protein particles and calcium fortification in suspension
Remains stable across the pH range of typical soy milk formulations (pH 6.5–7.5)
Survives UHT processing without significant loss of gel network integrity
Compatible with soy lecithin and other emulsifiers commonly used in soy milk
Typical use level: 0.015% – 0.03% HA gellan gum
Almond milk and other tree nut milks (cashew, macadamia, hazelnut) have a naturally thin body and low protein content. The stabilization challenge is primarily about preventing the separation of nut solids and added oils, and delivering a mouthfeel that feels satisfying despite the low solids content.
HA gellan gum in almond milk:
Suspends nut solids and prevents hard sediment formation
Contributes to a fuller, creamier mouthfeel at very low use levels
Works effectively at the low pH of some almond milk formulations
Compatible with the emulsifier systems (sunflower lecithin, gellan + emulsifier combinations) used in nut milks
Typical use level: 0.01% – 0.02% HA gellan gum
Note: almond milk has a lower buffering capacity than soy or oat milk. pH management during processing is important to ensure gellan gum network formation is consistent.
Pea protein beverages are growing rapidly as a higher-protein alternative to nut milks. Pea protein isolate presents a specific challenge: the particles are relatively large and dense, and pea protein has a tendency to form grainy, chalky textures if not properly stabilized.
HA gellan gum in pea protein beverages:
Holds pea protein particles in suspension throughout shelf life
Reduces the perception of graininess by immobilizing particles within the fluid gel network
Compatible with pea protein at the neutral to slightly alkaline pH of typical pea protein formulations
Works alongside other texture modifiers (pectin, starch) used to improve pea protein mouthfeel
Typical use level: 0.02% – 0.04% HA gellan gum
Higher use levels may be needed compared to oat or almond milk due to the higher particle density of pea protein.
Rice milk and other grain-based beverages (quinoa milk, spelt milk) are typically lower in protein and fat than soy or oat milk. The primary stabilization challenge is preventing starch retrogradation — the recrystallization of starch that causes gelling, thickening, or sediment formation during storage.
HA gellan gum in rice milk:
Provides a suspension network that prevents starch particle settling
Contributes to a light, clean mouthfeel appropriate for the rice milk category
Stable through the mild heat treatments used in rice milk processing
Typical use level: 0.01% – 0.02% HA gellan gum
Calcium fortification is standard in most plant-based milks positioned as dairy alternatives. Calcium carbonate (the most common calcium source) has a density of approximately 2.7 g/cm³ — significantly denser than water — and will settle rapidly without an effective suspension system.
This is where gellan gum's fluid gel mechanism is particularly valuable. The gel network physically immobilizes calcium carbonate particles, preventing sedimentation even during extended ambient storage.
Important formulation note: Calcium ions (Ca⊃2;⁺) interact with gellan gum and affect gel network formation. At higher calcium concentrations, gellan gum gel strength increases — which can be beneficial for suspension but may also affect mouthfeel if not properly managed. Formulation testing is essential when calcium fortification levels are changed.
Beverage Type | Typical HA Gellan Gum Level | Notes |
Oat milk | 0.010% – 0.025% | Often combined with xanthan gum |
Soy milk | 0.015% – 0.030% | Stable across UHT processing |
Almond / nut milk | 0.010% – 0.020% | pH management important |
Pea protein beverage | 0.020% – 0.040% | Higher level for dense particles |
Rice / grain milk | 0.010% – 0.020% | Light mouthfeel target |
Calcium-fortified variants | +0.005% – 0.010% above base | Adjust for Ca⊃2;⁺ interaction |
Protein-enriched variants | +0.005% – 0.010% above base | Higher particle load |
These are starting-point ranges. Actual use levels should be determined by formulation testing in your specific system, under your processing conditions and target shelf life.
Correct processing is as important as correct formulation. Gellan gum that is not properly hydrated and dispersed will not form a consistent fluid gel network, leading to poor suspension performance and inconsistent product quality.
Gellan gum powder must be dispersed in water before heating. The most common approach is to blend the gellan gum with other dry ingredients (sugar, other hydrocolloids) before adding to the water phase, which helps prevent clumping.
Alternatively, gellan gum can be dispersed in a small amount of oil or glycerol before addition to the water phase — this wets the powder particles and prevents agglomeration.
Do not add gellan gum directly to hot water — it will hydrate on the surface of each particle before the interior can disperse, forming lumps that are difficult to break down.
Full hydration of HA gellan gum requires heating. Heat the dispersion to 85°C – 95°C with continuous agitation. At this temperature, the gellan gum fully dissolves and the polymer chains are in a disordered, hydrated state.
Maintain this temperature for a minimum of 10–15 minutes to ensure complete hydration. Incomplete hydration is the most common cause of inconsistent gel network formation and poor suspension performance.
Add other beverage ingredients (plant base, fortification minerals, flavors, emulsifiers) to the hot gellan gum solution. The order of addition matters:
Add calcium and other divalent cations last, or manage their addition carefully — premature addition of high calcium concentrations can cause gellan gum to gel before the mix is homogeneous
Add emulsifiers before or alongside the plant base to ensure proper fat dispersion
Add heat-sensitive ingredients (certain vitamins, flavors) after the temperature has dropped below their stability threshold
Homogenization is critical for plant-based beverages. It reduces particle size, improves emulsion stability, and ensures a uniform distribution of gellan gum network throughout the product.
For most plant-based milks, two-stage homogenization at 150–200 bar (first stage) and 30–50 bar (second stage) is standard. The gellan gum fluid gel network will reform after homogenization as the product cools.
Most commercially produced plant-based milks are UHT processed for ambient shelf life. HA gellan gum is stable through UHT processing (typically 135–145°C for 2–6 seconds). The gel network is disrupted during the high-temperature step but reforms on cooling.
Cooling rate affects gel network quality. Rapid cooling (as in continuous UHT processing lines) generally produces a finer, more uniform gel network than slow cooling. If your product shows inconsistent suspension performance between production runs, cooling rate is one of the first variables to investigate.
The gellan gum fluid gel network will be in its reformed state by the time the product reaches the filling stage. Standard aseptic filling equipment handles gellan gum-stabilized beverages without difficulty — the shear forces in the filling line are sufficient to break the gel network temporarily, allowing clean filling, and the network reforms in the package.
Xanthan gum is the other hydrocolloid most commonly used in plant-based beverage stabilization. Both are microbial fermentation-derived biopolymers with pseudoplastic behavior, but they work through different mechanisms and deliver different results.
Property | HA Gellan Gum | Xanthan Gum |
Stabilization mechanism | Fluid gel network (weak gel at rest) | Viscosity building + pseudoplasticity |
Suspension at rest | Excellent — particles physically immobilized | Good — high apparent viscosity at rest |
Mouthfeel | Clean, thin, non-coating | Can feel slightly slimy or stringy at higher levels |
Effective use level | Very low (0.01% – 0.04%) | Low to moderate (0.02% – 0.1%) |
Shear recovery | Good | Excellent |
UHT stability | Excellent | Good |
pH sensitivity | Moderate (optimal pH 5.5–8.0) | Low (stable across wide pH range) |
Ca⊃2;⁺ interaction | Yes — affects gel strength | Minimal |
Cost-in-use | Competitive at low use levels | Lower unit cost |
When clean mouthfeel is the priority — particularly in thin, refreshing beverages where xanthan gum's mouthfeel would be perceived as slimy or heavy
When very low use levels are required — gellan gum's fluid gel mechanism is more efficient at suspension than xanthan gum's viscosity-building mechanism
When UHT processing demands maximum stabilizer stability
When formulation cost is the primary driver and mouthfeel is less critical
When the beverage has a naturally higher viscosity (smoothies, protein shakes) where xanthan gum's viscosity contribution is desirable
When the formulation pH is outside gellan gum's optimal range
Many commercial plant-based beverage formulations use HA gellan gum + xanthan gum in combination. Gellan gum provides the suspension structure; xanthan gum contributes to the viscosity profile and pourability. The combination often delivers better overall performance than either product alone, at lower total hydrocolloid cost.
For more on xanthan gum in food and beverage applications, see:Xanthan Gum — Unionchem Product Page
Likely causes:
Gellan gum use level too low for the particle load in the system
Incomplete hydration during processing — gel network not fully formed
pH outside optimal range — gellan gum network too weak
Calcium level too low — insufficient cation concentration to support network formation
Solutions:
Increase gellan gum use level by 0.005% increments and retest
Verify processing temperature and hold time — ensure full hydration at 85–95°C
Check and adjust formulation pH to 6.0–7.5
Ensure minimum calcium concentration of approximately 5–10 mM for adequate network formation
Likely causes:
Gellan gum use level too high
Calcium level too high — gel network too strong
LA gellan gum used instead of HA — wrong grade
Solutions:
Reduce gellan gum use level
Review calcium fortification level and its contribution to gel strength
Confirm product is HA grade — request COA from supplier confirming acyl content
Likely causes:
Inconsistent gellan gum hydration (temperature variation, hold time variation)
Batch-to-batch variation in gellan gum viscosity or gel strength
Variation in calcium level from fortification ingredients
Solutions:
Standardize and monitor processing temperature and hold time
Request tighter viscosity specification from supplier; ask for COA per batch
Standardize calcium addition and verify calcium content of fortification ingredients
Likely causes:
Gellan gum added directly to hot water without pre-dispersion
Insufficient agitation during hydration
Gellan gum added too quickly
Solutions:
Pre-blend gellan gum with dry ingredients before addition to water
Ensure vigorous agitation throughout hydration
Add gellan gum slowly to cold or warm water before heating
For procurement teams sourcing gellan gum for plant-based beverage applications, the following parameters are the most important to specify and verify:
Parameter | Why It Matters | What to Specify |
Grade | HA vs LA determines gel texture and application fit | Confirm High Acyl (HA) for beverage suspension |
Gel strength | Determines suspension capacity at your use level | Request gel strength data at your target concentration and Ca⊃2;⁺ level |
Viscosity | Affects processability and network formation | Request viscosity data (0.5% or 1% solution) |
Acyl content | Confirms HA grade authenticity | Acetyl and glyceryl content per COA |
Moisture content | Affects effective concentration | ≤15% |
pH (1% solution) | Affects compatibility with beverage system | 4.5–7.5 |
Microbial limits | Required for food-grade ingredients | Per food additive standards (E418) |
Regulatory status | Required for food contact | Confirm E418 (EU), 21 CFR (US), or relevant market approval |
Always request:
Certificate of Analysis (COA) per batch — including gel strength, viscosity, acyl content, and microbial data
Technical Data Sheet (TDS) with application guidance for beverage use
Free samples for formulation testing before committing to bulk supply
Unionchem supplies both High Acyl (HA) and Low Acyl (LA) gellan gum for food and beverage applications, with consistent quality, full technical documentation, and reliable global supply.
HA Gellan Gum — optimized for plant-based beverage stabilization, fluid gel formation, and suspension applications
LA Gellan Gum — for structured food applications, confectionery, and microbial culture media
Full technical documentation: TDS, COA (including gel strength, acyl content, microbial data), SDS
Free samples for formulation testing and qualification
Technical support for beverage application development
Regulatory documentation for major markets (EU E418, US FDA, etc.)
For full product details and to request a sample or quote:Gellan Gum — Unionchem Product Page
Plant-based beverage formulations often use multiple hydrocolloids in combination. Unionchem supplies the full range of relevant ingredients:
Product | Role in Plant-Based Beverages | Product Page |
HA Gellan Gum | Primary suspension agent, fluid gel formation | |
Xanthan Gum | Secondary viscosifier, pourability, mouthfeel | |
CMC | Thickener, stabilizer in some beverage systems | |
Welan Gum | Specialty suspension for high-performance systems |
The plant-based beverage category demands a stabilizer that can do something conventional thickeners cannot: hold particles in suspension without making the drink feel thick. HA gellan gum's fluid gel mechanism — gel at rest, fluid under shear — is the most elegant solution to this challenge available to food formulators today.
At use levels of 0.01% to 0.04%, it creates a suspension network that keeps oat starch, soy protein, calcium carbonate, and nut solids in place throughout ambient shelf life, while delivering the clean, thin, refreshing mouthfeel that consumers expect from a plant-based milk.
Getting it right requires attention to grade selection (HA, not LA), processing conditions (full hydration at 85–95°C), pH management, and calcium interaction. With those variables controlled, gellan gum is one of the most reliable and cost-efficient stabilizer solutions available for the plant-based beverage category.
Explore Unionchem's gellan gum solutions for plant-based beverages:Gellan Gum — Unionchem Product Page
Gellan gum — specifically high acyl (HA) gellan gum — forms a weak fluid gel network in plant-based milk that holds protein particles, calcium fortification, and other insoluble ingredients in suspension. At rest, the gel network prevents sedimentation. Under shear (shaking, pouring, drinking), the network breaks and the beverage flows freely. This gives plant-based milk both shelf stability and a clean, thin mouthfeel.
Always use High Acyl (HA) gellan gum for plant-based beverage stabilization. HA gellan gum forms soft, elastic, weak gels suitable for fluid gel applications. Low Acyl (LA) gellan gum forms firm, brittle gels that are not appropriate for beverage use — the gel would be too strong and the product would not flow properly.
Typical use levels for HA gellan gum in oat milk are 0.010% to 0.025% by weight. Start at the lower end and increase if suspension is inadequate. Actual use level depends on your specific formulation, processing conditions, and target shelf life. Always determine the final level by formulation testing.
Yes — this is a common and effective combination. Gellan gum provides the suspension structure through its fluid gel mechanism. Xanthan gum contributes to the viscosity profile and pourability. The combination often delivers better overall performance than either product alone, at lower total hydrocolloid cost.
Calcium ions (Ca⊃2;⁺) promote gellan gum network formation by cross-linking polymer chains. A minimum calcium concentration (approximately 5–10 mM) is needed for adequate network formation. At higher calcium levels, gel strength increases — which improves suspension but may affect mouthfeel. When changing calcium fortification levels, always retest gellan gum performance.
Yes. HA gellan gum is stable through UHT processing (135–145°C for 2–6 seconds). The gel network is disrupted at high temperature but reforms on cooling. Cooling rate affects network quality — rapid cooling generally produces a finer, more uniform network.
Yes. Unionchem supplies HA gellan gum with full technical documentation including gel strength data, acyl content, and microbial analysis, along with free samples for formulation testing. See: Gellan Gum — Unionchem Product Page
Unionchem supplies High Acyl (HA) and Low Acyl (LA) Gellan Gum for plant-based beverages, food, and specialty applications — with consistent quality, full technical documentation, and reliable global supply from China.
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Contact us:sales@unionchem.com.cnPhone: +86-13953383796 | +86-533-7220272Website:www.unionchem.com.cn