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Plant gums from plants are used for hundreds of years in everything from food and medicine to cosmetics and paper. Such natural polymers are extremely special and are precious compounds in many formulations. Alfa Chemistry supplies the most innovative plant gums from gum Arabic to guar gum, xanthan gum to carrageenan for different industries across the globe.

Understanding Plant Gums
Plant gums are complex polysaccharides of sugar molecules connected in long chains. These extended chains lend plant gums their special thickening, emulsifying, stabilizing and gelling abilities. Plant gum should be chosen as per the function required and application.

Gum Arabic
Gum Arabic – natural polysaccharide extracted from the bark or roots of Acacia senegal and Acacia seyal, leguminous plants. It is mainly composed of high molecular weight glycosidic acid, and it has the metal ions of calcium, magnesium and potassium, and it is very water-soluble and viscous.

The structure of gum Arabic is complex with the major monomers being arabinose, galactose, rhamnose and glucuronic acid, which are linked to the chain or side-chain by β-D-(13) and β-D-(16) linkage. It has a molecular structure which makes it good for emulsification and has low solution viscosity.

Gum Arabic is a used emulsifier, stabilizer and thickener in food products, mostly drinks, candy, ice cream and sauces. It's also important for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile and printing industries.

There are biological uses involved in gum Arabic, too. Researches have indicated that it plays several biological roles like antioxidant, kidney, cardiovascular and liver. Moreover, there is also the gum Arabic in traditional medicine, for cough, diarrhea, and skin conditions.

Guar Gum
Guar gum is a natural polysaccharide extracted from the endosperm of the legume plant guar bean (Cyamopsis tetragonolobus), and its main component is galactomannan.

Guar gum is widely used in the food industry and is often used as a thickener, stabilizer and emulsifier. For example, in beverages, ice cream, baked goods, dairy products and other products, guar gum can improve the taste and texture of the product.

In addition, guar gum also has the characteristics of dietary fiber, which helps to control blood sugar and cholesterol levels, and has certain health benefits for preventing diabetes and heart disease.

In the pharmaceutical field, guar gum is used as a carrier and controlled release system for drug preparations, especially in colonic drug delivery systems. Its chemical configuration makes it release drugs at a desired pH and it is very biocompatible and biodegradable.