Emerging Natural Hydrocolloids

7 Balangu (Lallemantia royleana) Seed Gum

Asad Mohammad Amini

Department of Food Science and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Kurdistan (UOK), Sanandaj, Iran

7.1 Introduction

Lallemantia royleana (Benth. in Walla) is an annual herb belonging to the Labiatae (or Lamiaceae) family (Figure 7.1a). With about 220 genera and almost 4000 species, the Labiatae family is considered as one of the largest and most distinctive flowering plants worldwide. Lallemantia royleana is widely grown in different regions of Europe and the Middle East, such as Turkey, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, especially in Iran, with about 410 species and subspecies. The common names of L. royleana are Balangu‐Shirazi or briefly Balangu (in Persian) and Tukhum‐malanga (in Urdu) [1–3].

Figure 7.1 (a) The Lallemantia royleana plant, (b) the seeds of Balangu, and (c) the seeds soaked in water.

For centuries, the seeds of Balangu (Figure 7.1b) have been considered as a folk medicinal herb by traditional Persian practitioners and prescribed for the treatment of gastrointestinal disease, respiratory ailments, kidney and urinary disorders, and have also been applied as a liniment for skin complications. Some recent studies have showed antioxidant, antibacterial, anesthetic, and hypocholesterolemic properties [2–9]. Also, it has been used in a range of products such as beverages ...