The invention relates generally to gum-protein conjugates, as an alternative to substances such as propylene glycol alginate [PGA], wherein the conjugate both thickens and emulsifies. Exemplary uses include use in food emulsions, cosmetics, and industrial applications. For example, one aspect of the present invention relates to gum-protein conjugates capable of acting as both thickeners and emulsifiers and methods of making the same. Certain embodiments of the conjugation processes use guar gum in its milled, powdered form or as obtained from guar splits as the viscous substrate and conjugates the guar gum with a protein that is either endogenous or exogenous. Another embodiment of the present invention uses exogenous protein, or protein that is not part of guar seeds, as the conjugating protein. In this embodiment, guar gum is conjugated with protein having a globular and flexible structure, to produce a conjugate that both thickens and emulsifies.
