Gum Acacia

 

A noble plant extract that comes from the heart of Africa is also known as Gum Arabic

For thousands of years, mankind has known about the unique properties of Gum Acacia and used it in everyday life. For example, the Egyptians used Gum Acacia to encapsulate the pigments in their hieroglyphs: 5000 years later, we can still admire the fantastic properties of Gum Acacia in museums around the world.

Gum Arabic is the exsudate of two kind of Acacia trees: the Acacia Senegal and the Acacia Seyal, hence the names of the two types of gum.

Its physical properties make of it one of the most used ingredient in the food industry.

Among others properties it is also:

 

• Low calorific : <2kcal / 100g
• Low viscosity
• Not allergic
• Odorless and tasteless
• 100% water soluble

 

 

Where does Gum Acacia come from ?

Gum Acacia is a gum that is harvested off the Acacia Senegal or Acacia Seyal Tree. Acacia Senegal and Acacia Seyal trees grow in Africa in a Sub-Saharan region called the Gum Belt. The Gum Belt stretches from Ethiopia to Mauritania. The most important produceur country is Soudan, where the best Acacia trees for Gum Arabic grow in the Kordofan region, covering 50 to 70% of the world's industry needs.

The trees are growing naturally in semi-desertic regions. The harvest lasts from october to mai/june.

Unlike competition, Valmar International is the only business to have their own purchasing and ante-processing facility. Ours is located in El Obeid, in the heart of the Kordofan region.

Thanks to this strategic location, we can select the best quality gums and control the local prices.

 

Local presence for the best choice

Two or three times a year, the trees branches and stems are tapped by a gum picker. A few weeks later, a ball of amber-colored gum, called a tear (because of its shape) forms. Each tree can yield up to 1 kg (2 lbs) of gum. The gum is then picked up by farmers, to be sell in the market or to our production facility.

The best gums are hand-picked, dried and then sorted in to grades: the clearer and purer the gum, the better.

 

How is it processed ?

Gum Arabic can be used crude, but most of the time it is used in a Kibbled, Powdered or Spray-dried grade

Valmar International selects and purchases only the purest of gums. Our production facility, in the heart of the African desert, cleans the gum and transforms the tears into Kibble (little gems) or powder.

Harsh regulations for top quality products

This raw material is shipped to Valmar group facilities where it undergoes strict European quality control. Under severe European regulations, we then transform the product into a selection of spray dried or instant dilution powders according to our customers specifications and requirements. Our facilities have implemented ISO 9001 V2000 processes and procedures.

It offers you the choice to use the form you prefer!

 

What does Gum Acacia do ?

According to the grades, Gum Acacia has a numerous amount of functions

Diluted into specific solutions, our different grades of Gum Acacia have the following functions:

• emulsifier
• encapsulating agent
• coating agent
• fibre enrichment
• film forming agent
• thickener
• … Gum Acacia is used in a multitude of applications.