We all consume it every day, unawares.
In soft drinks or in a glass of wine, in a cereal bar or a candy, in our toothpaste or mascara.… From food to cosmetics, from medicines to diet products, acacia gum crops up everywhere.
Unleashing acacia gum’s full potential
Its name vaguely refers to confectionery but not many know the true nature of acacia gum. 100% vegetable, natural and environmentally friendly, acacia gum’s outstanding functional properties have made it a star ingredient in the food industry, as well as cosmetic, pharmaceutical and technical sectors.
Acacia gum aligns with evolving consumer expectations: 100% plant-based, GMO free, pesticide free, gluten free, odourless, colourless and very low in calories.
Harvesting in the Sahel
Acacia gum is harvested from Senegal to Eritrea across an area known as “the gum belt”. At Alland & Robert, we mainly work with producers in Senegal, Chad and Sudan.
Acacia trees are very well adapted to the dry, semi-arid climate of this Sub-Saharan region. They help prevent desertification, nourish and fertilise soil and stabilise rainfall cycles.
Acacia gum is harvested from January to April. The first stage, known as tapping, consists of making an incision on the trunk and branches. This does not damage the tree and triggers a natural gum exudation mechanism to cover the incision. The gum dries in contact with air and gradually forms a nodule. A few weeks later, harvesters cut and collect the nodules, which are dried, sorted and stored before being sent to our manufacturing sites.
Amazing tree exudate
Acacia gum is an exudate of the acacia tree. It’s neither sap nor resin. It is either naturally exudated by the tree or following an incision done in the branches of the tree by harvesters. From a chemical point of view, acacia gum is a complex polysaccharide*.
Acacia gum used by the food industry only comes from 2 varieties of acacia: acacia senegal and acacia seyal.
* Carbohydrate made up of a large number of monosaccharides, simple sugars made up of a single chain of carbon atoms. ex: glucose, fructose, etc
More about our products
The saga of acacia gum
From ancient usages in Ancient Egypt to today’s use in sodas, its story is remarkable.
Acacia gum in Africa
Acacia gum has an important social, environmental and economic role in Africa.
