Leung's Encyclopedia of Common Natural Ingredients Used in Food, Drugs, and Cosmetics

and phenols (e.g., aminopyrine, antipyrine,
epinephrine, cresol, eugenol, guaiacol, phe-
nol, tannins, thymol, vanillin, etc.). It also
causes partial destruction of many alkaloids,
including atropine, hyoscyamine, scopol-
amine, homatropine, morphine, apomorphine,
cocaine, and physostigmine.
Gum acacia is incompatible with heavy
metals, which destroy the gum by precipita-
tion. Borax and alcohol also precipitate it, but
the process can be prevented or reversed.

CHEMICAL COMPOSITION

CrudeA. senegalgum is a complex polysac-
charide that consists of varying numbers of
polysaccharide units of molecular weight
200,000 linked to a protein core,^1 forming an
arabinogalactan–protein complex.^2

PHARMACOLOGY AND BIOLOGICAL
ACTIVITIES

Ingested orally, gum acacia is nontoxic. Hyper-
sensititivty reactions to the dust or from inges-
tion of gum acacia are rare and consist of skin
lesions and severe asthmatic attacks. Gum aca-
cia can be digested by rats to an extent of 71%;
guinea pigs and rabbits also seem to use it for
energy, as do humans to a certain extent.^3
Studies of gum acacia in rats as a potential
hypocholesterolemic agent have shown con-
flicting results.4–7In rat models of chronic
diarrhea, gum acacia enhanced electrolyte,
glucose, and water absorption in rat models
of chronic diarrhea and in healthy rats.8,9
Chronic renal failure patients administered
gum acacia have shown increased fecal nitro-
gen excretion and lowered concentrations of
retained metabolites, including urea.10,11

USES

Medicinal, Pharmaceutical, and Cosmetic.

Mainly in the manufacture of emulsions and

in making pills and troches (as an excipient);

as a demulcent for inflammations of the

throat or stomach and as a masking agent for

acrid-tasting substances such as capsicum

(MARTINDALE); also as a film-forming agent

in peel-off facial masks.

Food. Currently, the major use of gum aca-

cia is in foods, where it performs many func-

tions, for example, as a suspending or emulsi-

fying agent, stabilizer, adhesive, and flavor

fixative and to prevent crystallization of sugar,

among others. It is used in practically all

categories of processed foods, including can-

dy, snack foods, alcoholic and nonalcoholic

beverages, baked goods, frozen dairy desserts,

gelatins and puddings, imitation dairy pro-

ducts, breakfast cereals, and fats and oils,

among others. Its use levels range from

<0.004%(40 ppm) in soups and milkproducts

to 0.7–2.9% in nonalcoholic beverages, imi-

tation dairy, and snack foods to as high as 45%

in candy products.

COMMERCIAL PREPARATIONS

Available in crude, flake, powdered, granular,

and spray-dried forms. It is official in N.F. and

F.C.C.

Regulatory Status. Affirmed as GRAS

(§184.1330).

USES

Acacia gum has been in use since ancient

times.

REFERENCES

See the General References forDAVIDSON;DER MARDEROSIAN AND BEUTLER;FEMA;FURIA;GLICKSMAN;
GOSSELIN;GRIEVE;GUPTA;KEAY;KENNEDY;LAWRENCE;MARTINDALE;MCGUFFIN;REMINGTON;SAX;TERRELL;
WHISTLER AND BEMILLER;YOUNGKEN.

Acacia (gum arabic) 5