Acacia Gum – Emulsifier & Other Uses

August 20, 2010- Acacia gum is also known as the Arabic gum that is natural gum derived from the sap of the Acacia trees. Known by a lot of other popular names like chaar gund and meska, acacia gum is commercially produced by deriving the sap from wild trees. Found, historically in the Arabia, acacia gum is a kind of a naturally occurring polysaccharide. Or may be better put it is a mixture of polysaccharides and glycoproteins.

Acacia Gum Emulsifier

All these scientific definitions apart, acacia gum is better known as a food emulsifier or a stabilizer. It is a low viscosity natural emulsifier used in a number of food products as a no-chemical, natural emulsifier. Its main application as an emulsifier is found in candies, jellies, hard gum candies, cake decorations, edible colorful glitter candies, soft drink syrups, etc. But apart from acacia gum emulsifier user, the acacia gum or the Arabic gum works as a glue in a number of industries and other uses. Lets have a look at some of the important uses of acacia gum in a variety of diverse uses.

Acacia Gum Uses

• Acacia gum is used by artists for binding purposes in the watercolors. Watercolors turn into think paint like form on application of water. After the water evaporated, its the Arabic gum that is responsible for holding the color to the paper.
• Arabic gum is used in photography also. The process, Gum Bichromate photography is the technique that uses the acacia gum or the Arabic gum to create the colored photographic emulsion.
• In printmaking the acacia gum is used for holding the ink to the photosensitive aluminum plates.
• It is also used for manufacturing fireworks. Its water soluble binder property is utilized in this particular gum application.
• Common usage of acacia gum can be found in everyday lotions and creams. Cosmetics industry is also one of the major uses of the acacia gum.
• For its viscosity properties it is also used in syrups in the pharmaceuticals industry.
• Its lick able adhesive version in used in cigarettes and stamps.
• Shoe polish that we daily use also uses acacia gum or the Arabic gum for binding purposes.

Generally vegetable gums and thickeners are used as emulsifiers in a variety of food products, but acacia gum is a fine binder that is derived from tree saps and finds much more uses than other natural emulsifiers, Its scope of uses is much for diverse than the other emulsifiers extending to a variety of industries ranging from food to photography.