there was a need for a process for thickening liquid , pourable or squeezable foodproducts without the disadvantages as mentioned above , preferably independent upon temperature during manufacture or use . in other words , the so obtained thickened food products should be thickened but preferably not gelled , be free of a starchy flavor or smell , be at least reasonably stable under heating and cooling conditions , and preferably provide a thickening effect both in hot or cold applications . furthermore , the thickened foodstuff should preferably be free of gums from non - vegetable origin . preferably , the foodstuff so prepared should also be free of other gums or thicking biopolymers . additionally , the thickened foodstuff should be free of any grainy or sandy texture resulting from the thickener .