What Is Gum Acacia?.
History Gum acacia is known to have been produced since the times of Ancient Egypt. Back then, it was used as an adhesive for papyrus sheets. Acacia Trees There are several types of acacia trees. However, there are only two trees that produce acacia gum: Acacia Senegal and Acacia Seyal. Composition Acacia gum mainly comprises a mixture of natural kinds of carbohydrates and proteins called polysaccharides and glycoproteins, respectively. Production Scale Gum acacia flows naturally from acacia trees because of heat, dryness, wounds and diseases. However, trees can be tapped to produce the gum. Today, sub-Saharan Africa is known as the premier area of acacia gum production, although in past centuries, production was more associated with India and Western Asia. Use Acacia gum is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries, particularly as a thickener or emulsifier to prevent certain types of foods and drugs from breaking apart, according to Colloïdes Naturels International (CNI),
