Specifications Standards for Gum Arabic as Food Raw Material

The Standards are prescribed in accordance with the provisions of Article 17 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation.

Gum Arabic (Gum arabic；Acacia gum) as food raw material shall comply with the following specifications:1. Definition: Gum arabic is a dried exudate obtained from the stems and branches of strains of Acacia senegal (L.) Willdenow or closely related species of Acacia (family Leguminosae). It consists mainly of high-molecular weight polysaccharides and their calcium, magnesium and potassium salts, which on hydrolysis yield arabinose, galactose, rhamnose and glucuronic acid.2. Description and Identification: The unground product occurs as white to orange-brown, spheroidal tears of varying size or in angular fragments. Gum arabic is also available commercially in the form of white to yellowish-white flakes, granules, powder, roller dried, or spray-dried material. One gram dissolves in 2 mL of water, forming a solution that flows readily and is acid to litmus, insoluble in ethanol.3. Purity:(1) Loss on drying: Not exceed 15% (105°, 5 h) for granular and exceed 10% (105°, 4 h) for spray dried material.(2) Total ash: Not exceed 4%.(3) Acid-insoluble ash: Not exceed 0.5%.(4) Acid-insoluble matter: Not exceed 1%.(5) Starch or dextrin: Boil a 1 in 50 solution of the sample, cool and add a few drops of Iodine T.S. No bluish or reddish colour should be produced.(6) Tannin-bearing gums: To 10 mL of a 1 in 50 solution of the sample, add about 0.1 mL of ferric chloride TS. No blackish colouration or blackish precipitate should be formed.(7) Microbiological criteria: Salmonella spp.: Negative. E. coli: Negative.(8) Arsenic: Not exceed 3 mg/kg.(9) Lead: Not exceed 2 mg/kg.(10) Mercury: Not exceed 1 mg/kg.(11) Cadmium: Not exceed 1 mg/kg.

The Standards shall be implemented on the date of promulgation.