Alland & Robert Eyes Clean Label and High Fiber Trends for Acacia Gum

30 Jun 2016 --- Clean label and high fiber are both trending and hold new potential for acacia gum, according to supplier Alland & Robert. The French headquartered supplier notes that Mars and Kellogg recently decided to label products in the United States that contain genetically modified organisms (GMOs). The two American giants are mimicking an initiative taken by General Mills and Campbell’s Soups.

In addition to responding to consumer groups asserting their right to know if they are purchasing genetically modified products, this move also gave the companies a chance to speak out on their various platforms. Furthermore, the Subway fast food chain has planned to totally eliminate artificial flavorings, dyes and preservatives from its sandwiches by 2017. Other agribusiness groups are making decisions to adjust to demand. For example, the American food industry specialist Kraft-Heinz decided to rework its macaroni and cheese by replacing synthetic colors with natural ingredients like paprika, annatto and turmeric. 

Acacia gum, a natural additive with no health risks, is currently used primarily in candies and chocolates as a coating or thickening agent. It is also increasingly used in the production of sweet and savory snacks. Its use has grown in recent years, enabling manufacturers to develop products that are “rich in fiber,” “vegetarian,” “allergen-free,” “gluten-free” and “free of chemical additives.” It is also employed in the beverage industry to stabilize mixtures: acacia gum creates more stability in oilin- water emulsions over the long term. This means it can better protect aromas from external aggressions like light and oxygen, and thus prevent them from deterioration, which would be detrimental to brands because consumers might find that products do not have the taste they expect and like. Widely used in the food industry, this essential process is referred to as “encapsulation.” For example, Esarom, an Austria-based company, provides emulsifying solutions to the beverage industry. It attests to the important role of acacia gum in its business: “Compared to other products –a starch base, for example – acacia gum has unquestionable advantages in terms of technology − and using it is also more profitable.”

As part of its research and development program, Alland & Robert, a worldwide leader in acacia gum with over 130 years of product expertise, invests more than €1 million each year to advance knowledge about acacia gum and find new applications. Professor Christian Sanchez’s team has been working with Alland & Robert for many years. Based at the University of Montpellier at the IATE laboratory, the team comprises around 20 employees who have been involved for over eight years in research programs that should lead to discoveries of new uses for acacia gum. Professor Sanchez and his team think they have pinpointed new applications for this natural additive: “Because of its classification as a fiber and its emulsifying properties, acacia gum could, theoretically, be used in all formulated food products since it also has the advantage of being temperature stable. Think yogurts, dairy products and derivatives, as well as baked goods and, more broadly, any flour-based products. We believe that there is a real potential in these two areas.”

Acacia gum is a natural exudation that is produced naturally and extracted after an incision is made in an acacia tree’s trunk or branches. In addition to being a fully natural product, its harvest is also 100% natural. Acacia gum is harvested from wild trees in the southern Sahel of Africa. Acacia gum helps to protect the environment because it is guaranteed to be free from pesticides and GMOs and serves as a natural defense against the desertification afflicting the countries of the southern Sahel. This makes it an economic and environmental asset and boosts its naturalness. Use of additives in food and why acacia gum is a safe, natural additive. 

Acacias are used to reforest deserts and play a role in preserving biodiversity, in addition to being a major socio-economic boon to local populations. Finally, acacia trees feed the soil and restore its fertility, lend shade to crops, provide fodder for livestock and help feed local communities. Acacia gum is one of the additives that pose no threat to human health. Its harmlessness has been demonstrated historically and no maximum daily intake (ADI-acceptable daily intake) was set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives).

Furthermore, acacia gum is recognized as a “noble” additive because of its ancient origins: it was used by the pharaohs and appears in paintings in the pyramids, then it was used by scribes and applied to art (great painters like Rembrandt and Da Vinci added gum to their oil paint). Acacia gum has the characteristics of a polysaccharide with very particular properties: this molecule is notably used to emulsify and stabilize essential oils. For the team working under Professor Sanchez at the IATE laboratory at Montpellier SUPAGRO, “It also has the characteristics of a fiber, which gives it valuable nutritional properties.”

Alland & Robert strongly believes in the naturalness of the product and helps preserve its qualities by conducting strict audits of its suppliers throughout the whole production process and ensuring harvesters have good working conditions. This same level of control also applies in the company’s plants that process the acacia gum, which remains natural until it is sold because its composition is not altered at any time. No additives are introduced from harvest to sale. A multifunctional product yesterday, today and tomorrow Acacia gum was already being used by the Egyptians 3,000 years ago as an adhesive for mummy bandages. Today it is used in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries and for technical applications. Its many functions ensure it has a wide array of uses and Alland & Robert continues to innovate with acacia gum to meet its customers’ demands. Guaranteed to be 100% plant-based, GMO-free, pesticidefree, odorless, colorless, very low-calorie and gluten-free, acacia gum has a bright future ahead of it. Alland & Robert’s track record in securing its supply and ensuring safe, sustainable operations suggest that this small French business will continue to play a role in the future.

Acacia gum has been certified worldwide by various competent authorities, including the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States. It is recognized as having no negative impact on health and no maximum daily intake has been defined. Alland & Robert makes every effort to preserve acacia gum’s stability and natural properties thanks to strict standards and a production process that guarantees its traceability from the beginning to the end of the chain.