🍮 : Gellan Gum vs Agar for Plant-Based Jelly Desserts — Which One Wins?



In the booming world of plant-based desserts, choosing the right gelling agent is crucial. Two popular options are gellan gum and agar — both vegan, but very different in function, texture, and formulation.

So, which one is better for your next jelly or panna cotta-style dessert? Let's compare. 👇

🧪 1. Gel Texture & Mouthfeel

FeatureGellan Gum (Low Acyl)Agar
TextureFirm, brittle, clean-cutSlightly rubbery, brittle
MouthfeelSmooth, melts in mouthGritty when cold
TransparencyCrystal clearHazy or opaque

✅ Winner: Gellan gum – Perfect for elegant, refined gel textures.

🔥 2. Thermal Stability

  • Gellan Gum: Heat-stable up to 120°C, no melting during baking or hot-fill
  • Agar: Melts at ~85°C; weakens after reheating or prolonged storage

🔥 Ideal for baked or heat-processed jelly fillings?
Gellan gum wins again.

🧊 3. Cold Resistance & Freeze-Thaw

  • Gellan Gum: Excellent cold-set behavior, strong freeze-thaw stability
  • Agar: Gel turns rubbery or breaks after freezing

🧊 For frozen desserts or long shelf life → Gellan gum is the better choice.

📊 4. Dosage & Cost Efficiency

  • Agar typically requires 0.8–1.5%
  • Gellan gum works well at 0.1–0.3%

💡 Less usage = lower cost per batch, especially for industrial dessert production.

🌱 5. Labeling & Dietary Suitability

Both are:

  • ✅ Vegan & vegetarian
  • ✅ Gluten-free, allergen-free
  • ✅ Halal & Kosher compatible

But gellan gum offers more formulation flexibility — from fluid gels to layered textures, without flavor masking.

🍨 Application Example: Vegan Mango Jelly

Gellan Gum Base Formula:

  • Mango puree: 50%
  • Water: 40%
  • Sugar: 9%
  • Low acyl gellan gum: 0.2%
  • Citric acid (pH adjustment): 0.1%

Result:

  • ✅ Clean, delicate cut
  • ✅ No syneresis
  • ✅ Heat- and shelf-stable

🌍 Sourcing High-Quality Gellan Gum?

Whether you're a chef innovating desserts or a food manufacturer scaling clean-label gels, CINOGEL Biotech supplies food-grade low acyl gellan gum for precise and elegant jelly formulations.

🧁 Final Verdict: Gellan Gum Wins in Every Way

If your focus is vegan, clean-label, high-performance jelly desserts, gellan gum clearly outperforms agar in:

  • Texture
  • Stability
  • Efficiency
  • Versatility

Upgrade your plant-based dessert game — and explore gellan gum from CINOGEL Biotech for your next breakthrough.