Abstract: The present invention provides an improved method for sizing paper which comprises the step of coating paper with a composition comprising gellan gum and a derivatized starch wherein the derivatized starch and the gellan gum are present at a weight ratio of from 300:1 to 1000:1. Also provided by the invention are improved papers adapted for ink jet printing characterized by an ash content of from 5% to 30% by weight, permeability characterized by an HST score in the range of over 200 seconds and treated with a surface size comprising gellan gum and a derivatized starch wherein the derivatized starch and the gellan gum are present at a weight ratio of from 100:1 to 1000.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a polymer composition comprised of gellan, carrageenan and mannan gums and a process for producing flexible films for encapsulation comprising the gellan, carrageenan and mannan gum composition. The mannan gums include the galactomannans and the glucomannans. Advantageously, soft capsules of the above composition are produced using the novel process. The composition comprises a blend of a gellan gum: (carrageenan/mannan gum) wherein the gellan gum concentration ranges from about 0.1 to 50 weight percent and the ratio of carrageenan/locust bean gum ranges from 3:1 to 1:3. Additional reagents are added to this gum blend to form a film-forming polymer composition useful in the production of gelatin-free capsules or microcapsules.