Food & beverage

Acacia gum’s functional properties improve the texture of sweets by creating volume and acting as an anti-crystallisation agent in combination with sucrose and glucose. It is widely used to coat confectionery products requiring gumming or chocolate panning.

As a thickening agent, it gives sweets a firm yet melting texture, contributing to stabilisation and hardness.

Acacia gum can also be used as a film-forming agent and enhances the properties of coated sweet products. With noncariogenic properties (no negative impact on teeth), it’s popular in sugar-free formulations too.

Overall, acacia is used in a wide variety of confectionery products, from pastilles and chewing gums to toffees, dragees, coated almonds and chocolate or nut centers. Acacia gum is the main ingredient in classic gum drops.

Sugar-free formulations

When combined with polyols, acacia gum provides superior coating properties. The choice of polyol impacts different organoleptic criteria including the taste of the final product (neutral, fruity or minty), the sweetness and texture.

Acacia gum is a key ingredient in sugar-free chewing gums.

Acacia gum is packed with functional properties. It stabilises oil-in-water emulsions commonly used to manufacture fizzy drinks – along with carbonated water, sucrose or sweeteners.

Acacia gum stabilises dispersed droplets and reduces the surface tension between the dispersed and continuous phases.

Few calories and a neutral taste make acacia a popular choice in beverages.

In juices, fruit and sports drinks, and powdered beverages, acacia gum brings enhanced mouthfeel, texture and fibre enrichment.

In alcoholic beverages like wine, acacia gum provides colloidal protection and organoleptic sensory improvement – even in very small quantities.

Source of fiber

Acacia gum is a safe, natural source of prebiotic fibre – improving gut health and balancing the nutritional profile of beverages.

It has a prebiotic benefits and excellent digestive tolerance with no major disadvantages or intestinal discomfort. Acacia gum contains very few calories and doesn’t impact the taste or colour of the beverages. It resists acidity and heat and has a low viscosity.

Acacia characteristics

• Resists acidity and heat, meaning it can be used to formulate products exposed to extreme conditions during production
• Has no side effects, a neutral taste and very low viscosity
• Doesn’t contain many calories
• Positive effect on rheological properties

Excellent digestive tolerance

Acacia fibre provides scientifically proven prebiotic benefits:

• No intestinal discomfort, flatulence or abdominal cramps
• Very slow fermentation: only very slight evolution of acacia fibre content during the whole shelf-life of dairy products containing live lactic bacteria – compared to yoghurts formulated with inulin, FOS or GOS whose fibre content can rapidly decrease during storage
• Minimal digestion in the small intestine combined with a slow fermentation in the colon

We have developed a specific range of acacia fibre that guarantees at least 90% fibre content (international AOAC 985-29 method).

Acacia gum is a greatly efficient emulsifying, encapsulation and bulking agent. As an emulsifier and stabiliser, acacia gum can be used in liquid and powdered emulsions.

Its film-forming and tensio-active properties are ideal for emulsions of essential oils and powders (flavours) and useful in stabilising oil-in-water emulsions, before spray drying.

Acacia gum is a unique hydrocolloid for emulsions because it is water-soluble. It is used in the industry to control and modify the rheological properties of aqueous systems. It act as stabilizer, film former, thickener, suspending agents and emulsifier.

Very well-known in the flavor industry and for food, beverage and nutraceutical applications, acacia gum can encapsulate liposoluble substances, essential oils, vitamins, flavours and colourings. With efficient bulking properties, acacia gum helps fix powdered ingredients and dry blends, protecting them from external contamination.