Gellan gum, which forms gels on cooling, is a versatile and effective gelling agent. It is available in two forms (high or low acyl content). The acyl groups have a profound influence on gel characteristics. The high acyl form produces soft elastic gels, while the low acyl form produces firm brittle gels. They may be used alone or blended to give products with the desired characteristics.

A further benefit of gellan gum is that it can be used at very low concentrations to produce products with excellent flavour release and no flavour masking.

In most practical situations, gels made with low acyl gellan gum are not thermally reversible and will be retort or bake stable.

Gellan gum can form fluid gels, which are in effect solutions with a weak gel structure. They exhibit an apparent yield stress, ie a finite stress which must be exceeded before the system will flow. Their highly pseudoplastic flow properties provide extremely efficient suspension combined with low viscosity at higher shear rates. This results in low viscosity in the mouth, making them particularly effective in suspending a wide variety of solids and emulsified oils. Suspension can be achieved without affecting the mouthfeel.

Gentle agitation of a weak gellan gum after it has set is also sufficient to form a weak, pourable fluid gel. This means fluid gels can be formed using standard filling operations.