Origin and Gum Arabic

Gum sudani, also known as acacia gum, is a natural gum collected from acacia trees. It is produced by several species of the acacia tree native to Africa and the Middle East. The key producing species are Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal. These trees are typically found in the semi-arid regions spanning from Senegal in the west to Sudan and Somalia in the east of Africa. Chad, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mali, and Niger are some other countries where these trees grow extensively. The trees start producing gum from the age of 8-10 years and remain productive for more than 100 years.

Composition and Gum Arabic

Gum Arabic sudani is a complex branched polysaccharide composed of the sugar residues of D-galactose, L-rhamnose, and D-glucuronic acid. It generally contains approximately 65% carbohydrate polymers, with the remaining portion comprising of proteins, minerals like calcium, potassium, and organic acids. This unique composition makes gum sudani completely water-soluble and allows it to form viscous solutions even at low concentrations. Its emulsifying properties allow it to stabilize emulsions by reducing interfacial tension between two immiscible liquids, such as oil and water. Gum sudani also has excellent film-forming, suspending, and binding properties which make it suitable for various applications.

Harvesting and Processing

The gum exudes naturally from the stems and branches of acacia trees when they are injured by cutting, breakage or physical damage due to environmental factors like wind or heat. The exudates slowly harden on exposure and are scraped off periodically. The harvested gum is sun-dried and graded based on color and purity. The lighter grades fetch higher prices in the international markets. Egypt is one of the major processors and refiners of gum sudani. The gum is finely powdered, screened, and packaged for industrial use after testing for quality parameters like viscosity.

 Get More Insights on- Gum Arabic