Gum Arabic, also known as gum Arabic, is a safe and harmless thickener and a gum that solidifies naturally in the air. It is a light white to light yellowish brown translucent block, or white to orange-brown granules or powder. It is a polymer electrolyte with a molecular weight of 220,000-300,000. Odorless, tasteless, and flammable. It can gradually dissolve in water into an acidic viscous liquid. After some time, the viscosity decreases. The solubility is about 50% (W/V), and it is insoluble in ethanol.

It comes from the exudate of the trunk of the genus Acacia in the Leguminosae family, so it is also called acacia gum. The main components of gum Arabic are high-molecular polysaccharides and their calcium, magnesium and potassium salts. It mainly includes gum aldose, galactose, glucuronic acid, etc. Good quality gum Arabic is amber in color, and the particles are large and round.

Product usage

Food Industry

Gum Arabic was once the most widely used and largest-volume hydrosol in the food industry.

It is widely used in beverage production, such as in the production of soft drink concentrates, where it can stabilize flavors and essential oils. It is also used in candy manufacturing, such as traditional hard (wine) gummy candies and soft candies, and can also be used as a foam stabilizer for marshmallows.

Nutritionally, gum arabic basically does not generate heat and is a good water-soluble dietary fiber. It is used in health care candies and beverages. In medicine, gum arabic also has the function of lowering blood cholesterol. Gum arabic is also widely used in other industries. Its applications in the food industry can be summarized as: natural emulsifier stabilizer, thickener, suspending agent, adhesive, film-forming agent, glazing agent, water-soluble dietary fiber, etc.