Gum arabic

About: Gum arabic is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2197 publications have been published within this topic receiving 47782 citations. The topic is also known as: acacia gum.

Fundamental Properties and Food Application of Hydrocolloids

Abstract: The main function of hydrocolloids in food systems is to control and modify texture via changes in physical and geometrical properties. Texture is important in terms of both food palatability and eating safety, and hydrocolloids play a dominant role in controlling food texture. Hydrocolloids are thus the base ingredients for the development of food products. Research activities on food hydrocolloids have increased recently in terms of texture modifiers for nursing-care foods and also dietary fiber with physiological effects for an aged society, where the number of people with mastication and swallowing difficulties as well as patients with lifestyle-related disease are increasing. The author has aimed to analyze the fundamental properties of various food polysaccharides in terms of colloidal science and to obtain practical knowledge regarding food applications. Target materials for studies on gelling polysaccharides include gellan gum, carrageenan, curdlan, and methylcellulose, while pectin from sugar beet, gum arabic, and soybean soluble polysaccharide are targeted for those on emulsifying polysaccharides. Polysaccharides that control the gelatinization and retrogradation behaviors of starch have also been investigated, including galactomannan, soybean soluble polysaccharide, and gum arabic. This article reviews a part of these studies.

Influence of gum arabic and homogenization process on the physicochemical stability of strawberry suspensions

Abstract: The generation of value from the strawberry agro-chain requires in some cases the disintegration of the structure and formulation of the fruit, resulting in suspensions that behave as thermodynamically unstable colloidal systems and are affected by various forces, such as Van der Waals, electrostatic, steric, hydration, hydrophobic, and phase separation. The aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of the homogenization process and the concentration of gum arabic (GA) on the stability of strawberry-based suspensions. Strawberries with a 9% solid content were used and a centralized-composite central design was proposed (pressure (P) from 4.14-10.34 MPa), time (t) (3-5 min), and GA (0.2-0.4%)) and the dependent variables zeta potential (ζ), spectral absorption index (R), viscosity (μ), and particle size were evaluated. The ζ potential and R-index were not affected by the homogenization process and GA; the suspension was stabilized by the increase of ζ due to t, the GA effect, and the t-GA interaction. Particle size was affected by P but not by t, whereas GA mainly affected D [3,2], D [4,3], and D90. The results indicate that the homogenization and the use of GA as a hydrocolloid confer chemo-physical stability to the strawberry suspension.

Valorization of spent coffee grounds: Encapsulation of bioactive compounds by different drying methods

Abstract: Abstract In the present study, dryings by foam mat, foam mat freeze-drying, spray-drying and freeze-drying were proposed to microencapsulate bioactive compounds extracted from espresso spent coffee. Albumin, maltodextrin and gum arabic were used as wall materials, and the dried product was characterized and compared. The foams produced were dried in a tunnel dryer at different temperatures and air velocities. The drying time ranged from 200 to 450 min, and shorter drying times were obtained for the highest temperatures. For all drying methods, dried products with good physicochemical properties and high levels of phenolic and antioxidant compounds were obtained. The foam mat resulted in samples with higher moisture content and bulk density. On the other hand, freeze-dried samples had greater hygroscopicity and shorter wettability times. Spray-dried samples were lighter (highest value of parameter L*). The encapsulation efficiency values were between 66.46% and 88.01%, with the lowest values obtained for the foam mat.