Guar gum, also called Guaran, is extracted from the seed of the leguminous shrub Cyamopsis tetragonolobus (L.) Taub., (Fam. Leguminosae), which is grown in the arid and semi-arid regions of Sindh and Punjab.

The Guar seed is dicotyledonous (oval-shaped), having a diameter of approximately 8mm. Galactomanan is the essential ingredient of Guar that gives it unique thickening, binding and stabilizing properties and its extraction is the main objective of the production process.

 In order to obtain pure Galactomanan, the endosperm (split) is separated from the hull and germ. The relative composition of a guar seed comprises of 14-17% hull, 43-47% germ and 34-36% endosperm. The production process is optimized to extract maximum levels of Galactomanan from seeds of differing content by using a multi-stage grinding and sifting process.

Differential grinding such as attrition mills and special hammer and roller mills separate germ from endosperm based on the difference in the hardness of these seed components. The endosperm is ground to a fine particle size powder to specific requirements and sold as Guar gum.

The three main products (Guar meal, splits and gum) are then bagged as required and stored in a cool, dry place. Guar products have an effective shelf life in excess of two years or more.