Gum Ghatti is a complex water-soluble polysaccharide. It is a plant exudate that has been long in use and whose name is derived from the word ghat which means a mountain pass, given to the gum possibly because of its ancient mountain transportation routes.

Processing

Gum Ghatti is separated from adhering bark and sand by aspirating and cleaning, grinding, sizing and blending to obtain uniform grades of gum.

Physical Characteristics

The highest grade sorts of Gum Ghatti are pale tan and almost free of adhering bark. The lower grades vary from medium tan to burrow and may contain as much as 7% insoluble impurities.

Powdered Gum Ghatti is light tan in colour. It has a bland taste and practically no odour.

Solubility

Gum Ghatti does not dissolve in water to give a clear solution but rather forms a colloidal sol; only about 90% of the gum is suspended. Powdered gum ghatti forms a viscous sol at 5% concentration. Gum Ghatti will form viscous sol in hydroalcoholic solutions ranging up to 25% alcohol.

Viscosity

The viscosity of Gum Ghatti is largely dependent on when it is picked; that is, how recently it was gathered from trees. The viscosity of a 5% sol is approximately 100-500 cps. It is affected by conditions of climate and growth. Viscosity is also affected by storage. Powdered ghatti will decrease somewhat in viscosity after storing over six months. Gum Ghatti sols are sensitive to alkali and attain their maximum viscosity at pH 8.0.

Above that pH the sols tend to become stringy. Ageing of Ghatti dispersions increases their viscosity.

Chemical Characteristics

Gum Ghatti is a complex polysaccharide of high molecular weight. The equivalent weight is 1340-1735. Gum Ghatti occurs as a calcium-magnesium salt. It has been shown that it is composed of L-arabinose, D-galactose, D-mannose, D-stylose, and D-glucuronic???? acid in a molar ratio of 10:6:2:1:2 and traces (below 1%) of 6-deoxyhexose. Gum Ghatti contains 10-12% Moisture, 3% total ash and up to 3% acid insoluble ash.

Preservatives

Gum Ghatti sols require preservatives since they are subject to bacterial attack. They are easily preserved with a mixture of a maximum of 0.17% methyl and 0.3% propylo-hydroxybenzoate as well as with glycerine and propylene glycol. Benzoic acid, sodium acid as well as sodium benzoate at 0.1% concentration will effectively preserve ghatti sol.

Compatibility

Gum Ghatti is compatible with other plant hydrocolloids as well as proteins and carbohydrates. There is a relationship between pH and viscosity over pH range of 2-12. The maximum viscosity is achieved at pH 8 and drops sharply on both sides. The addition of mineral and organic acids will cause a drop in the viscosity of the sol.

Food Uses

Gum Ghatti's main function is to impart stability through its binding and its emulsifying properties, it acts similarly to Gum Arabic in many ways, it is useful in beverage emulsions where it forms fairly thick emulsions with difficult products.

Table Syrup Emulsions

Gum Ghatti is used in table syrup emulsion containing about 2% butter to stabilise the emulsion. In such an application, about 0.4% ghatti is used in combination with 0.8% lecitnin????. The refractive index of tables syrup containing emulsified butter may be adjusted by additional quantities of ghatti to produce clarity.

Pharmaceuticals

Gum Ghatti forms thick mucilages for coating application as a tablet binder.

Paper Industry

Gum Ghatti is used as a binder in long fibred light weight papers.

Wax Emulsions

Gum Ghatti is used to emulsify petroleum and non-petroleum and waxes to form liquid and wax paste emulsions. It is also used in wax coating and barrier applications.

Technical Specifications