ABSTRACT
Mesquite gum is exuded by tree bark in the form of glassy, red-to amber-colored lumps. Mesquite trees are leguminous plants that are prevalent in dry and semiarid regions of the world. The gum exudates in a semifluid, sticky, soft condition and then hardens in only a few hours, forming tear drops of various sizes and colors; these gum drops whiten with exposure to sunlight—ultimately becoming translucent—and are frequently filled with small fissures. Mesquite gum has been used as a raw material for the preparation of L-arabinose, as reported in some of the standard chemical methods. From the 1940s—1960s, this gum was gathered and marketed in Mexico, South America, and the southwestern United States. Due to the presence of tannins, mesquite gum is not permitted as a food additive in the US However, it is used in domestic cooking in the Sonora region of northwestern Mexico, to prepare a traditional dessert known as capirotada.
