THE CLASSIFICATION OF NATURAL GUMS - X - CHEMOMETRIC CHARACTERIZATIONOF EXUDATE GUMS THAT CONFORM TO THE REVISED SPECIFICATION OF THE GUM-ARABIC FOR FOOD USE, AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF ADULTERANTS

Fifty-four individual authenticated or commercial exudate gums were co llected from the gum arabic producing countries of Africa as part of a n FAO project to clarify the factors which influence the specification of gum arabic additive (Acacia gum INS 414) used in food. Seven analy tical parameters were measured for each gum: specific optical rotation , intrinsic viscosity, content of nitrogen (and hence protein), arabin ose, rhamnose, galactose and uronic acids. Using various chemometric m ethods, all gums could be distinguished as belonging to the Acacia sen egal, Acacia seyal (and closely related), and those outside these cate gories. Thus it is possible to identify those gums which conform to th e revised (1997) FAO/WHO Joint Expert Committee for Food Additives (JE CFA) specification (which in part are based on this study) and those w hich would be adulterants in food use. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.