Gum arabic: what is it, what is its harm?
Gum arabic: what is it, what is its harm?
Anonim

Gum arabic (from Latin gummi - gum, arabikus - Arabian) - gum arabic, sticky juice of some species of Arabian acacia, which grows in Africa, India and Australia. The beginning of the extraction of gum arabic has its roots in ancient times. Trees have a height of 3.5 to 4.3 meters. The process of extracting gum is accelerated by applying notches to the bark of a tree, due to which there is a rapid outflow of resin. Next, the "harvest" is manually cleaned of pieces of bark. Completely soluble in water, forming an adhesive solution. Liquid glue for paper. Gum arabic: what is it? Let's take a closer look in the article.

Gum arabic, definition

What is gum arabic
What is gum arabic

The following designation is adopted by international standards: stabilizer E 414, or gum arabic e414. Other names: Acacia gum (gum arabic). It belongs to the group of food additives that extend the shelf life and improve the consumer qualities of products. The substance is not included in the group hazardous to human he alth. Widely used and approved for usein Russia, Ukraine and EU countries gum arabic. What it is? The photo shows: the substance is similar to amber, and this is not surprising: both are tree resin.

Features

As we have already found out, a food stabilizer is obtained from some types of Arabian locust by harvesting the resin by hand.

Gum arabic what is it photo
Gum arabic what is it photo

The extracted natural substance is separated from the bark, sorted and purified by refining. Gum arabic comes to the market in the form of powder, crystals or droplets of amber color. Food additive gum arabic has excellent emulsifying and defoaming properties. Quickly forms a film and gives the liquid a certain texture. Does not leave a trace in the cooked dish, while perfectly distributing fats. When boiled, it decomposes into simple sugars. Contains huge deposits of fiber. It helps to qualitatively connect incompatible textures, to give a certain shape and does not allow the content to delaminate and settle. The use in small doses leaves a feeling of satiety and fullness of the stomach. Therefore, it is recommended for diet food.

Emulsifier E-414, its functions

Gum arabic: what is it and why is it so in demand in various industries? Adhesive properties contribute to the preservation of the shape of the finished product, help to achieve the desired viscosity, and help retain moisture in baked goods. The same quality prevents the beer from foaming in the bottle, perfectly keeps the shape of jelly products, and prevents chewing gum from quickly crumbling in the mouth. Performs many other functions not availablefor organic compounds of this category.

Gum arabic E 414
Gum arabic E 414

Food & gum arabic

What is it and where it is used, we have already partially found out. It turns out that the sweet tooth would be deprived of many of the usual desserts, if not for gum arabic. Jelly and marmalade, fruit-based confectionery, delicate smooth creams and whipped cream, ice cream would certainly not be so sticky and tasty if it were not for gum arabic. The preparation of high-quality dairy, meat and fish semi-finished products and ready-to-eat products is also rarely complete without this natural substance, an excellent moisture regulator. Fruit and berry yoghurts also contain gum arabic. What is this ingredient? It increases the viscosity of the product, maintains the consistency of ready meals, gives and holds the shape of products.

Application in brewing and winemaking

Gum arabic is involved in the technology of making beer to extinguish the formation of foam, in winemaking to fix the color of wines.

Non-food use

Dry powdered gum arabic is used to create craquelure in painting, to make gold and lacquer. Immune to organic solvents. The use of gum arabic is associated with the manufacture of inks and watercolors. It is used in lithography, participating in the process of creating clichés, for the preparation of special washing and cleaning solutions for caring for it (washing clichés for letterpress printing). It is widely used in the manufacture of cosmetics: lotions, protective creams. It is applied forimprove the viscosity of the composition, as the adhesive base is added to cosmetic face masks.

Used in pharmaceuticals to create shells for tablets, suspensions, emulsions and so on.

gum arabic food
gum arabic food

Widely used in cosmetology to create face and body skin care products.

The benefits and harms of gum arabic for the human body

Useful for lack of allergens. Does not cause irritation of the mucous membranes and the gastrointestinal tract in direct contact with the food additive. It also does an excellent job of removing s alts of heavy metals and radionuclides from the body.

gum arabic harm
gum arabic harm

The usefulness of a natural product is evidenced by the fact that E414 is approved for use in baby and diet food. The property of gum arabic is well known to lower blood glucose levels due to its high fiber content. It makes it easier for diabetics to fight the disease. Fights cholesterol. Cleans clogged blood vessels from plaques. Helps in solving problems with the cardiovascular system, lipid metabolism. Helps the stomach to work properly, prolonging the digestion of food, and thereby reducing appetite. Qualitatively and quickly helps to reduce weight. Gum arabic, the harm from which still takes place, is contraindicated in people with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. It is not recommended to exceed the allowable daily intake of a dietary supplement in the amount of 2 g/kg of body weight.

Conclusion

Gum arabic. What it is? If someone heard this word, then only in some context,fleetingly. After reading this article, perhaps some will remember how they chipped off pieces of frozen streaks on the trunk of a cherry and tasted them - a harmless delicacy of childhood. Food grade gum arabic is very similar to it both in properties and taste.

What is gum arabic
What is gum arabic

We learned almost everything about the food additive E 414, about where it grows and is produced, the functions and characteristics of this product, the scope, the benefits and harms of the food additive. What can be the conclusion? It is practically safe for the human body of any age. Of course, there are contraindications for use, like any other product or medical preparation: everything is good in moderation. Participates in dietary and baby food. This means that it is not so harmful, since it is used in this industry. We learned that this stabilizer is also used in painting, to create paints and fixatives. In general, as we understand, the scope of its application is extensive. Can some kind of acacia resin change our understanding of the food industry? What do we know about this area? Almost nothing. Now we are unlikely to forget that there is such a wonderful substance for all occasions.

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