Properties

Gum Arabic is unique between the natural hydrocolloids because of its extremely high solubility in water and can yield solutions of up to 55% concentrations. Solutions below 10% gum Arabic, show low viscosities and Newtonian rheology.

The gum arabic is stable in acid solutions and products such as citrus oil emulsions exhibit good shelf stability. The addition of electrolytes to gum Arabic solutions results in a reduction of the viscosity even in a very dilute solution. This lowering is much more pronounced in more concentrated solutions.

Gum Arabic is a very effective emulsifying agent because of its protective colloid functionality and has found wide spread use in the preparation of varied oil-in-water food emulsions over a wide pH range and in the presence of electrolytes without the need for a secondary stabilizing agent.

Gum Arabic has broad range of compatibility with most gums and starches and with most carbohydrates and proteins as well. It is incompatible with few gums such as sodium alginate and gelatin.