Congo: Diverse Applications of Natural Hydrocolloids in Food and Personal Care Congo boasts abundant tropical fruits, vegetables, and agricultural resources, with developing food processing and dairy industries. With increasing local consumer demand for natural, healthy, low-sugar, and functional foods, natural hydrocolloids such as pectin, citrus fiber, carrageenan, and konjac gum are playing an increasingly important role in dairy, beverages, snacks, bakery, sauces, and personal care products. In dairy and beverage applications, pectin is widely used in yogurt, probiotic drinks, fruit beverages, and functional drinks. High-ester pectin maintains stability in acidic systems, ensuring uniform texture, preventing sedimentation of fruit pieces or grains, and providing a smooth and refreshing mouthfeel. Citrus fiber enhances viscosity and texture in low-sugar, high-fiber drinks, adding fullness and dietary fiber. Carrageenan forms stable gel structures in custards, puddings, jelly, and ice cream, providing delicate and uniform texture. Konjac gum, with its transparent and elastic gel properties, offers superior texture and health benefits in low-calorie desserts, meal replacements, and functional jelly products. In snacks and bakery, citrus fiber improves dough hydration and gas retention, keeping cakes, bread, biscuits, and local specialty pastries soft and moist, while partially replacing fats to reduce calories. Pectin stabilizes jams, fillings, and confectionery, preventing water separation and maintaining gloss and taste. Carrageenan and konjac gum enhance gel strength and elasticity in puddings, mousses, jelly, and candies, providing multi-layered texture experiences in Congo’s snacks and baked goods. In sauces and condiments, pectin and citrus fiber improve viscosity and stability, preventing layering; carrageenan ensures gel strength and sliceability; konjac gum enhances texture in low-sugar, low-fat, or plant-based sauces, making jams, sauces, and syrups easier to process and store while increasing health benefits. In personal care, konjac gum and citrus fiber are applied in lotions, cleansers, masks, and hair care products. Konjac gum provides smooth texture and moisturizing effect; citrus fiber, rich in plant polysaccharides and flavonoids, offers gentle exfoliation and adsorption, meeting consumer preferences for natural, healthy, plant-based formulations. Overall, pectin, citrus fiber, carrageenan, and konjac gum provide broad application potential across Congo’s dairy, beverage, snack, bakery, sauce, and personal care industries, enhancing texture, mouthfeel, and health value. Lemon Biotech, as a comprehensive natural hydrocolloid solutions provider, offers formulation optimization, process guidance, and technical support, helping Congolese companies achieve innovation and differentiation in dairy, snacks, and personal care products.