Gum Karaya is a natural gum exudation obtained by the incision of the stems and branches of Sterculia trees.

Harvest regions are mainly located in Africa (especially in Senegal and Mali) and India.

Sterculia trees grow on dry and rocky areas. Alland & Robert is the world leader in karaya gum processing, and offers various grades of karaya gum: from granules to powder, with an excellent bacteriological quality.

Gum Karaya has been used for many centuries in traditional African and Indian cooking. Nowadays, karaya gum is an additive used in the food and pharamceutical industries, and it is known to be a clean label additive with an excellent digestive tolerance, as it is a soluble fiber. Karaya gum is classified as E416 by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) additive referential.

The physico-chemical and microbiological characteristics of karaya gum vary depending on their origin: African gum is known to provide higher viscosity and swelling potency, and Indian gum offer good microbiological quality.

Gum Karaya is used in many pharmaceutical and food applications that require texturing properties: Karaya gum will bring suspending properties, high viscosity for a significant effect on texture even at low dosage, and great water retention properties.