A Diplomat's Tale of Gum Arabic

By JULIETTE ROSSANT Retired Foreign Service Officer and former US ambassador to Niger, the Honorable Charles O. Cecil, has written a fascinating article on gum arabic in the most recent issue of Saudi Aramco World. Ambassador Cecil explains why "gum arabic is so vital to modern manufacturing," including the Food & Beverage industries: Gum arabic is unique among the natural gums because of its extreme solubility in water and its lack of taste. As a food additive, it has been extensively tested and appears to be one of the safest for human consumption. In beverages, gum arabic helps citrus and other oil-based flavors remain evenly suspended in water. In confectionery, glazes and artificial whipped creams, gum arabic keeps flavor oils and fats uniformly distributed, retards crystallization of sugar, thickens chewing gums and jellies, and gives soft candies a desirable mouth feel. In cough drops and lozenges, gum arabic soothes irritated mucous membranes. Many dry-packaged products, such as instant drinks, dessert mixes and soup bases, use it to enhance the shelf life of flavors. (Click here to read the full article online.) Previous articles: Lights, Camera--Cook! --> back to superchefblog