ABSTRACT
Natural gums are exuded in a variety of shapes and forms, the best known being the teardrop or globular shape of various grades of gum arabic. Gums contaminated with tannins usually have a harsh, bitter flavor that is a serious detriment in food applications. There are many plant gum exudates known all over the world, but only four are of real importance to the food industry. These are arabic, ghatti, karaya, and tragacanth. The surface of most gums is perfectly smooth when fresh but may become rough or covered with small cracks or striations upon weathering, resulting in an opaque appearance. The water-soluble plant gums are usually odorless and in this respect differ markedly from the oil-soluble resinous exudates which have distinctive smells. The gums are usually tasteless and bland, except for some species which have a sweet, carbohydrate taste and some types that have been contaminated.
