Gum Arabic Powder

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Gum arabic, also known as meska and acacia gum, is a resin obtained from a tree native to Africa and the Middle East.

The powdered form is a binder, emulsifier and thickening agent used extensively in the food industry, especially in the manufacture of chewing gum and candy. Gum arabic is also used to make water color paints and shoe polish. The powder is commonly used to make incense, often blended with other ground herbs and resins.

kosher certificate information

a.
quick look

information at a glance

approximate cups to one pound3
originsudan
active compoundsSaccharides, Glycoproteins, Arabin (arabic acid), Salts of calcium, Magnesium, and Potassium.
plant part usedresin (sap/gym)
processingpowder

b.
buying & keeping

general guidelines and tips

storage tipsStore in an airtight container in a cool, dark cabinet or pantry.
appearance & aromaFine, light-colored power without any noticeable scent.

c.
uses

try something new

cosmeticUse to thicken creams and lotions and to create liquid emulsions.
culinaryGum Arabic is edible and may be used to thicken foods.
aromaticCombine with herbs, oils and spices to create custom incense blends.
industrialWidely used in the food industry as a thickener and binding agent and is referred to as E414. Gum Arabic is also used in the manufacturer of goods, including paper and fireworks.

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[ tip: Combine with powdered slippery elm bark to make soothing throat lozenges.  ~ from Monterey Bay Herb Company ]

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d.
flavor profile

powdered
gum arabic resin

Lacks significant flavor.

e.
formulas & recipes

powdered
gum arabic resin

coming soon

f.
what else you should know

powdered
gum arabic resin

Gum Arabic is a resin obtained from a perennial tree that occurs naturally in Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, Western Asia and the Indian Subcontinent. The species is also invasively naturalized in Indonesia and in some parts of Australia.

Although powdered gum Arabic resin is nearly odorless and flavorless, it is used as a stabilizer in a great variety of foods ranging from chewing gum to ice cream. It also provides the “sparkle” in soft drinks and in other carbonated beverages.

Herbalists use powdered gum Arabic to make incense blends that contain herbs, spices, oils and other resins. The powder is also used to give form to herbal pills and lozenges.


Background: Gum arabic is the dried gum exudate of Acacia Senegal of the Eastern African Kordofan region particularly, and of Western Africa north of river Senegal. The gum has been a very useful, and so significant item in commerce for thousands of years appearing in historical records from antiquity, and still is used in arts, crafts, cosmetics, foods and millions of products ranging from ice cream to adhesives.

Illustrations of Acacia with large mounds of the dried gum were found in archaeological artifacts of the reign of Ramses III of Egypt. As gum of Canaan it was exported from the Gulf of Aden by 1,800 BC. Theophrastus (400-300 BC) described it as Egyptian gum detailing many uses. During the 1st century AD Dioscorides included reference of gum Arabic's. 

In carbonated drinks it increases the sparkling feature by reducing liquid surface tension. It is an essential ingredient in food items syrups, gummi candies, marshmallows, chewing gum, and many others. It is the traditional binder in watercolors, is used in stone lithography, photography and printing, as a binder in fireworks, and in adhesives in stamps and cigarette papers.

Description: Incisions made in the tree bark promote the flow of the sap (referred to as gum) to its surface. There it forms thick droplets which are sun-dried. The fragments of this exudate are nearly odorless, translucent white, yellow-white, to pale amber in color. It is powdered for most uses. It is soluble in water, insoluble in alcohol.

Acacia Senegal described by Willdenow, and described in 1830 by Guillemin and Perrotet as Acacia verek, and described in 1735 by Linnaeus as Mimosa Senegal, grows to 20 ft in height. Stems are crooked with grayish bark, it is much branched; Limbs are scattered over or covered with a purplish or yellowish-green bark. Leaves are smooth and bipinnate with a gland between them. The leaflets are oblong-linear, arranged in 8 or 10 pairs. Spines are sharp and in two pairs. Flowers small and yellow are densely crowded on axillary, stalked, globose heads, usually two together. The fruit a smooth compressed moniliform legume is light-brown about 5 in. long, containing about 6 flattish seeds. These trees all delight in dry, sandy situations, and will often be found where other shrubs and trees cannot exist.

for educational purposes only

This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

please be advised: 
Before making any changes to your diet you should always consult with your doctor,
especially if you are pregnant, nursing or have existing conditions.