Table 1.
Specifications for tara gum (E 417) according to Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 and JECFA (2006)
| Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 | JECFA (2006) | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Tara gum is obtained by grinding the endosperm of the seeds of natural strains of Caesalpinia spinosa (family Leguminosae). It consists chiefly of polysaccharides of high molecular weight composed mainly of galactomannans. The principal component consists of a linear chain of (1‐4)‐β‐d‐mannopyranose units with α‐d‐galactopyranose units attached by (1‐6) linkages. The ratio of mannose to galactose in tara gum is 3:1. (In locust bean gum, this ratio is 4:1 and in guar gum 2:1) | Obtained by grinding the endosperm of the seeds of Caesalpinia spinosa (family Leguminosae); consists chiefly of polysaccharides of high molecular weight composed mainly of galactomannans. The principal component consists of a linear chain of (1,4)‐beta‐d‐mannopyranose units with alpha‐d‐galactopyranose units attached by (1‐6) linkages; the ratio of mannose to galactose in tara gum is 3:1. (In carob bean gum, this ratio is 4:1 and in guar gum 2:1.) The article of commerce may be further specified as to viscosity and loss on drying |
| Description | A white to white‐yellow odourless powder | White to white‐yellow, nearly odourless powder |
| Functional uses | Thickening agent, stabiliser | |
| Identification | ||
| Solubility | Soluble in water, insoluble in ethanol | Soluble in water; insoluble in ethanol |
| Gel formation | To an aqueous solution of the sample add small amounts of sodium borate. A gel is formed | To an aqueous solution of the sample add small amounts of sodium borate. A gel is formed |
| Viscosity | – | Transfer 2 g of the sample into a 400‐mL beaker and moisten it thoroughly with about 4 mL of isopropanol. Add, with vigorous stirring, 200 mL of water and continue stirring until the gum is completely and uniformly dispersed. An opalescent, moderately viscous solution is formed. (This solution is less viscous than a tara gum solution, but more viscous than a carob bean gum solution when prepared and tested as indicated in the above described test.) Transfer 100 mL of this solution into another 400‐mL beaker, heat the mixture in a boiling water‐bath for about 10 min and cool to room temperature. The solution shows a marked increase in viscosity |
| Gum constituents | – | Proceed as directed under Gum Constituents Identification, using galactose and mannose as standards. Galactose and mannose should be present |
| Microscopic examination | – | Place some ground sample in an aqueous solution containing 0.5% iodine and 1% potassium iodide on a glass slide and examine under a microscope. Tara gum contains groups of round to pear‐shaped cells; their contents are yellow to brown.(Tara gum cells are similar in form but markedly larger in size. Carob bean gum shows long, stretched tubiform cells, separate or slightly interspaced and can be easily distinguished from tara gum.) |
| Purity | ||
| Loss on drying | Not more than 15% | Not more than 15% |
| Ash | Not more than 1.5% | Not more than 1.5% |
| Acid insoluble matter | Not more than 2% | Not more than 2% |
| Protein | Not more than 3.5% (factor N × 5.7) | Not more than 3.5%. Proceed as directed under Nitrogen Determination (Kjeldahl method) (see Volume 4). The percentage of nitrogen determined multiplied by 5.7 gives the percentage of protein in the sample |
| Starch | Not detectable | Not detectable |
| Arsenic | Not more than 3 mg/kg | – |
| Lead | Not more than 2 mg/kg | Not more than 2 mg/kg |
| Mercury | Not more than 1 mg/kg | – |
| Cadmium | Not more than 1 mg/kg | – |