Acacia (Gum Arabic)
What it does
Stabiliser/emulsifier.
How it's made
Sap of acacia trees.
Acacia gum, better known as gum arabic, is a natural gum obtained from the sap of acacia trees (mainly Acacia senegal) grown across the African Sahel. It is an extremely versatile stabiliser, thickener and emulsifier, used in soft drinks, confectionery (it gives many gummy and coated sweets their texture) and to hold flavour oils in emulsions.
It is collected as a natural exudate: the bark of the acacia trees is tapped or naturally cracks, and the sap seeps out and hardens into nodules on the trunk and branches. These hardened lumps are harvested by hand, then cleaned, dissolved, filtered to remove bark and debris, and usually spray-dried into a powder.
The purified gum is standardised into a soluble powder. Unusually, gum arabic dissolves to a high concentration without becoming very thick, and it is an excellent emulsifier, which is why it is used to keep citrus and other flavour oils dispersed in soft drinks; it is plant-derived and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.
Possible reactions
Generally safe; rare allergy.