Tara gum (TARA-G) (INS 417) is also known by the synonyms peruvian carob, Tara-Kern-Mehl etc.
Tara gum is a galactomannan & is a plant reserve carbohydrate like starch, isolated from the endosperm of the seeds of the tara tree, Caesalpinia spinosa L.
The molecular weight of tara gum ranges widely from 106 to 2.33x106 g/mol & is determined using a capillary viscometer.
Tara gum is a high-viscosity polysaccharide composed mainly of a linear chain of (1-4)-β-D-mannopyranose (mannose) units with α-D-galactopyranose (galactose) units attached by (1-6) linkages.
Tara Gum
| Name of gum | Number of galactose units | Number of mannose units |
|---|---|---|
| Locust Bean Gum | 1 | 4 |
| Tara Gum | 1 | 3 |
| Guar Gum | 1 | 2 |
| Fenugreek gum | 1 | 1 |
| Tagua Nut or Ivory nut mannan | 0 | 1 |
Sorbets
Mostly, tara gum consists of 75–78% galactomannan, 14–15% moisture, 2.5% acid insoluble fibres, 3–4% nitrogen compounds, 1.5% minerals (as Ash) and 1% ether soluble fatty compounds. The proteinaceous fraction approximately contains the amino acids: 13.4% aspartic acid, 13.3% glutamic acid & 8.8% glycine.
Tara gum (TARA-G) is a colorless to white-yellow odourless powder & it forms colloidal solutions in water. It is insoluble in ethanol.
A 1% aqueous dispersion of tara gum has a viscosity of 2000–3600 cps & remains unaffected between pH 3.0 & 7.5.
TARA-G imparts synergistic gel-strength & has enhancing effects when combined with carrageenan, xanthan or agar.
Bun
Bread
Tara Gum has been used extensively in food, pharmaceutical, biomedicine as it is non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable & inexpensive.
Baby Food Products
Rainwater Harvesting
