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Anyone have experience with Sclerotium Gum? Have a few questions.
Hey, I just got some Sclerotium and trying to dissolve it for the first time. I was left with a lot of tiny whitish to light-beige “flecks” that kinda’ look like if you have ever seen sediment floating around in a lake or ocean.
I mixed briskly upon adding; I’ve also let it sit covered overnight before trying to mix again today. Sediments still appear.
Is this normal for Sclerotium Gum? Did I simply mix it improperly, or did I get a poor quality product?
I guess I should also disclose that I had one other ingredient in the water; a preservative I usually use. Leucidal SF Complete (Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate & Lactobacillus & Cocos Nucifera [Coconut] Fruit Extract). I wanted to test the compatibility. Guess the best time to test that wasn’t when I’m just learning how to use Sclerotium Gum for the first time… Do you think it’s part of the preservative that is making the sediment-like particles? Or is it definitely the gum?
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9 Replies
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Oh I should add that I was just trying to dissolve 0.5%.
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For gums it’s usually best to disperse them in something first before adding to water, otherwise you get clumps and agglomeration as the outside gums swell and ‘seal’ the other dry particles inside. 0.5% is a decent amount, it depends on the viscosity you are trying to achieve.
Try again but put the gum in just glycerin or a glycol first, mix that and then add the premix to water with stirring.
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It is no different than working with Xanthan Gum … simply pre-wet it in Glycerin or Propanediol to form a slurry and drizzle the slurry to your water phase while stirring @500RPM or so.
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Thank you so much @EVchem and @MarkBroussard. I will pre-disperse the gum next time!
One follow up question, if I may. Should the gum be dispersed and thickened alone in the glycerin/water before adding any other ingredients?
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@EVchem @MarkBroussard
Sorry, I feel like I should phrase my above question better. I mean that, in a water phase, should the gum be thickened alone in the water before adding any other water soluble ingredients and mixing; or should all water soluble ingredients be dissolved first (in the water) before adding gum and thickening?Thanks again.
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You can do it either way, but I would recommend that you best first add all water-soluble ingredients and add the thickener as the last step
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Thank you for your help @MarkBroussard!
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Hi. I use sclerotium gum at 0.5% to stabilize/thicken, and I love it. I slurry it in glycerin or butylene glycol before adding to water phase, and it becomes completely clear! I purchase mine at Formulator Sample Shop. I hope you solve your mystery
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Thank you @savvyskingirl!
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