Mesquite gum (Prosopis gum): Structure, properties & applications - A review.

Mesquite gum (Prosopis gum) is an exudate gum obtained from mesquite tree (Prosopis sp.). Main constituents of this gum are D-galactose & L-arabinose along with trace amount of D-mannose, D-glucuronate & D-xylose. It also contains protein in its chemical structure. Chemically, it is similar to gum arabic which makes it a competent substitute of gum arabic for various applications. Viscosity values of mesquite gum solution are somewhat lower than gum arabic which opens door for its application as dietary fiber in various food products which is an untouched territory. Mesquite gum has several functional properties which makes it a functional hydrocolloid. It has appreciable emulsifying and encapsulation capacity for various food components. Another application of mesquite gum is its use as drying aid in foam mat drying of fruits. It is also a potential film forming agent and used for extending shelf life of fruits. In pharmaceutical industry, it is used as tablet binder and stabilizer in suspensions. All these functional properties and applications of mesquite gum suggest that it is an underutilized functional gum. This paper discusses the production, collection, composition, processing, properties and applications of mesquite gum.

Exudate gums: chemistry, properties and food applications - a review.

Gums are complex carbohydrate molecules which have the ability to bind water and form gels at low concentration. These carbohydrates are often associated with proteins and minerals in their structure. Gums are of various types such as seed gums, exudate gums, microbial gums, mucilage gums, seaweeds gums, etc. Exudate gums are plant gums which ooze out from bark as a result of a protection mechanism upon injury. Exudate gums have been used by humans since ancient times for various applications due to their easy availability. The main characteristics which make them fit for use in various applications are viscosity, adhesive property, stabilization effect, emulsification action and surface-active property. Major applications of these gums are in food products, the paper, textile, cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries, oil-well drilling, etc. In the present paper, the chemistry, properties, processing and applications of commercially available exudate gums such as acacia gum or gum arabic, karaya gum, ghatti gum and tragacanth gum are discussed. Recent literature reveals that apart from the above mentioned applications, these gums also have nutritional properties which are being explored. Other gums cannot replace them because of their certain unique characteristics. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.