Characteristics Study of Some Sudanese Origin Natural Gums Prepared for Food Processing

Tow species from Acacia gums namely Arabic Gum (Acacia senegal) Sunt gum (Acacia nilotica var .nilotica) and karaya gum (Sterculia setigera) from Sudanese origin were investigated for physical, chemical and microbiological characteristics. The moisture, nitrogen and protein content, ash and pH were found to be ranging from 9.83% to12.39%, 0.34% to 0.37%, 2.19% to 2.24%, 2.50% to 3.90% and 4.33% to 5.35%, respectively. The results of refractive index revealed similarity between the three gums which were reported1.334, 1.363 and1.333, respectively. Clear differences in specific optical rotation and viscosity results were observed which were reported-28.50° , +106.41° and+2.0° , respectively and 50 Cps, 60 Cps, and 110 Cps, respectively. The results recorded an absence of tannin content in Arabic Gum and Karaya gum, where Sunt gum appears negligible amounts (0.05).Microbiological load of the investigated gums proved it is free of yeasts and moulds, total Coliform, Escherichia coli and Salmonella.