Arabic Gum
Gum arabic is harvested from Acacia senegal because it has superior properties over other 'acacias', and hence it is this gum that has dominated international trade. Currently the biggest markets for A. senegal gum are the European Union, North America (mainly the USA) and the Indian Subcontinent (mainly India). The UK imported 1, 253 tonnes in 1998. Sudan, Nigeria and Chad are the three biggest sources of this gum.
Gum arabic is traded in large quantities, and is grouped into three grades. Grade 1 (the best) is in large, round or worm-shaped pieces and is white/pale or brownish yellow. Grade 2 gum is in rounded, worm-shaped or branched pieces, and is smaller in size and generally darker in colour than the top quality. The poorest grade gum (Grade 3) is in the form of small brown grains.
Item | Specification | Test Result |
Purity | 99.9% | HPLC |
Physical & Chemical Control |
Appearance | Fine Powder, White | Complies |
Odor | Characteristic | Complies |
Taste | | Complies |
Loss on Drying | ≤10.0% | 6.3% |
Sulphated Ash | ≤4.0% | 3.2% |
CPS 25, 20% | 50~200 | 120 |
Drying Method | Spray drying | Complies |
Acid-insoluble substance | 0.5% | Complies |
PH | 5~7 | Complies |
Tannin | Negative | Complies |
Starch/Dextrin | Negative | Complies |
|
Total Heavy Metals | ≤40ppm | Complies |
As | ≤3ppm | Complies |
Cu | ≤10pp |
