Food additives data book - wordpres

Polysaccharides 668
NAME: Gum arabic
CATEGORY: Polysaccharides
FOOD USE: Confectionery/ Beverages/ Baked goods/ Emulsified foods
SYNONYMS: CAS 9000-01-5/ EINECS 232-519-5/ E414/ Acacia gum/ Sudan gum/ Gum arabica/ Gum hashab/
Kordofan gum/ Arabic gum/ Kami
MOLECULAR MASS: Variable, although typically 384,000
ALTERNATIVE FORMS: Gum arabic is slightly acidic, so different salt forms are possible
PROPERTIES AND APPEARANCE: White/off-white powder or amber to dark brown crystals
SOLUBILITY % AT VARIOUS Gum arabic is soluble in water, sucrose solutions, sodium chloride solution and ethanol solutions, but
TEMPERATURE/pH COMBINATIONS: solubility in vegetable oils and propylene glycol is limited. Viscosity is optimal at pH 6, although the
variation across the pH range 3 to 10 is almost negligible
FUNCTION IN FOODS: Emulsifier; flavouring agent; adjuvant; formulation aid; humectant; surface-finishing agent; stabiliser;
thickener; firming agent; processing aid; texturiser; crystallisation inhibitor; for confections, flavour
syrups; dietary fibre; foam stabiliser
ALTERNATIVES: Gum karaya; gum ghatti; gum tragacanth; maltodextrins; pyrodextrins; polydextroses; methyl
celluloses; milk proteins (application-dependent)
TECHNOLOGY OF USE IN FOODS: Solution of gum arabic can be prepared by dispersing in aqueous solution at room temperature.
Emulsions should be prepared with a high shear mixer.
Gum arabic is a complex branched arabinogalactan with a (1 Æ 3) beta-D-galactopyranosyl main
chain with numerous branched and unbranched side chains composed of D-galactose, L-arabinose,
D-glucuronic acid, L-rhamnose and some methyl substituents. It forms a globular structure in aqueous
solution with few interactions with other food ingredients. It is thought that small amounts of protein
may be important in gum arabic emulsifying properties.