ABSTRACT
Gum tragacanth has an ancient history. It was described by Theophrastus, who was Aristotle's successor in the Peripatetic School of Philosophy, more than a few centuries before Christ. The fat content, the amount of gum tragacanth used, and the ripening time had major effects on the cheese-making yield, chemical characteristics, rheological characteristics, and microstructure of Iranian white cheese. Gum tragacanth can be used as a food additive for emulsification and/or as a thickening agent. Tragacanth is employed in numerous low-pH products, such as salad dressings, condiments, and relishes; it serves as a stabilizer and presents a smooth mouthfeel due to its surface-active properties. Tragacanth contains hydroxyproline in its peptides, which is most probably engaged in stabilizing the arabinogalactan structure. Sweets are produced with blends of tragacanth and gum arabic to get a chewy consistency, and blends of tragacanth and gelatin are used for a chewy and cohesive texture.
