Despite a name that sounds like an insect, locust bean gum is pure carob seed. It gives ice cream its scoopable chew.
Made fromCarob tree seeds
E numberE410
VerdictVegan
Where it hides
Ice cream and gelato
Cream cheese and dairy alternatives
Sauces and soups
Some baked goods
What it is
The name misleads: locust bean gum has nothing to do with the insect. It is milled from the seeds of the carob tree, the same tree that gives us carob.
Primary source 01 / 01
Locust bean gum (LBG, carob gum, carob bean gum, carobin, E410) is a galactomannan vegetable gum extracted from the seeds of the carob tree (Ceratonia siliqua) and used as a thickening agent (gelling agent) in food technology.
Locust bean gum is prized in ice cream, where it slows melting and gives that smooth, scoopable chew, and it often teams up with guar and carrageenan. It is a plant seed extract, so it is vegan.
Guar gum (E412)Guar gum is a thickener ground from a legume. Bean to powder, there is no animal step anywhere in it.
Gum arabic (acacia gum, E414)Gum arabic is hardened sap from acacia trees. It is the quiet stabiliser behind fizzy drinks and gummy sweets, and it is entirely plant-based.
Carrageenan (E407)Carrageenan is a thickener pulled from red seaweed. It has its critics on other grounds, but the vegan question is not one of them.
Frequently asked
Is locust bean gum from insects?
No, despite the name. Locust bean gum, also called carob gum, comes from the seeds of the carob tree. It is plant-based and vegan.
Is E410 vegan?
Yes. E410 is locust bean gum, a carob-seed extract, so it is vegan.
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