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 | | GUM ARABIC FOR BEVERAGES | | | ALFRED L. WOLFF GmbH | | 15/11/2007 | | | Naturally emulsifying, functionally performing.
Gum Arabic - A natural, water-soluble hydrocolloid.
Gum Arabic (or Acacia Gum) is a water soluble polysaccharide of the hydrocolloid group. Compared to other hydrocolloids, it shows properties that clearly differ from those of for example Guar Gum or Agar-Agar. Gum Arabic solutions have an almost newtonian behaviour, that is to say their viscosity remains equal even when the shear rate is modified. This is usually observed in pure water or solutions with salts or low-molecular organic compounds. With Gum Arabic, liquid solutions with a high gum concentration up to 50% can be prepared easily. Basically, Gum Arabic can be subdivided in three structural groups but, as far as its functionality is concerned, the arabinogalactan protein (AGP) is the relevant one. The two other groups are the arabinogalactan and the glycoprotein. In the case of AGP, the arabinogalactan components are linked to a protein chain. The arabinogalactan consists of a branched framework of arabinose and galactose, the end fragments of which also contain rhamnose and glucuronic acid. This gives a molecule with a very compact and almost globular structure. For the emulsifying properties, it is crucial that the protein chain is easily attainable at the periphery of the general structure. To know how a polysaccharide works as an emulsifier, it is assumed that the protein chain of the AGP is taken up to the oil-phase of an oil-in-water emulsion whereas the arabinogalactan components constitute the hydrophile element. But arabinogalactan also plays an important role in the stabilizing properties of Gum Arabic. This is clearly shown by the fact that emulsions using AGP only are far less stable than emulsions with a complete Gum Arabic.
The emulsifying properties of Gum Arabic are directly influenced by the botanical type, the nature of the growing soils and the climate. Due to the thermic sensitivity of its proteinic components, the emulsifying properties of Acacia Gum can decrease under the influence of heat. It is therefore of utmost importance to select the adequate qualities for the use in beverages and flavours.
The polyvalent functionality of Gum Arabic in beverage applications
- For aromatic solutions, oil-in-water and water-in-oil systems, the most interesting function of Gum Arabic is its emulsifying, suspending and stabilizing properties, keeping all recipe elements in a perfect balance.
- For spray-dried powder flavours, Gum Arabic acts as an emulsifier for the spray-emulsion and as an encapsulating agent for the essential oil drops, avoiding their oxidation in the finished product and the negative sensory effect of such an oxidation.
- Gum Arabic gives excellent results in cloudy beverages, in which the flavour emulsions guarantee the required turbidity in the finished product. This effect is due to the change of the refractive index on the emulsified oil-phase - especially in citrus oil emulsions.
- The flavour release in emulsions or spray-dried flavour powders on Gum Arabic basis is perfect because of its neutral taste and odour.
- In flavoured milk beverages, Gum Arabic is used as a stabilizer of the flavour particles in the milk, avoiding their precipitation and giving an homogeneous structure and smooth texture to the milk drink.
- An excellent source of natural, soluble dietary fibres, Gum Arabic is an ideal emulsifier and stabilizer for functional, fibre-enriched beverages
Nutritional aspects
Gum Arabic is a genuine food raw material from 100% naturally growing acacia trees and not genetically modified botanical source. It is classified E 414 in the European list of permitted food additives and has the GRAS-status (Generally Recognized As Safe) of the US FDA. As a valuable source of natural, water soluble, dietary fibre, Gum Arabic offers physiological advantages and nutritional benefits to the consumers of fibre-enriched foodstuffs and beverages, and hence positive marketing aspects to the producers of food and beverages. It is a low-calorie raw material (1,5 kcal/g) for functional beverages as well as for confectionery and other food applications. Gum Arabic (Acacia Gum) is recognized as a non-toxic additive for food use and as such enjoys the status ADI non-specified (Acceptable Daily Intake without quantitative limitation).
Product and supply safety
Gum Arabic is known by the worldwide food, beverage and pharmaceutical industry as a versatile additive with polyvalent functions: protective colloid, film-building and coating agent, encapsulating agent, oxidation inhibitor, stabilizer, suspensing agent, emulsifier, texturant, clouding and clarifying agent, food adhesive. Quick Gum is Alfred L. Wolff's brand of natural Gum Arabic in optimized and process-performing powder form for industrial beverage producers. Quick Gum is purified and quickly soluble, it is easy-to-use and fits in practically any production process, saving production time and energy consumption, corresponding to the specific requirements of beverage and flavour applications. Quick Gum is produced without addition of any technical aid and does not contain solvent residues. With a long experience in the worldwide trade of Gum Arabic and production of Quick Gum, Alfred L. Wolff offers a comprehensive service along with the product to meet the quickly evolving needs of the beverage industry. A stringent quality monitoring includes the ISO 9001 certification, the HACCP self-run hygiene system as well as the Kosher and Halal certifications. Alfred L. Wolff's sourcing network in the producing countries and processing facilities guarantee a regular supply capacity to the worlwide food and beverage industries. | |
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