Tragacanth, a gum produced from the sap of the Astralgus shrub, is commonly used as a food additive due to its emulsifying and thickening properties. It is harvested by cutting slits in the stem and drying the sap. Tragacanth is generally considered safe for consumption in small doses, but there have been reports of allergic reactions. It is also used in textiles and pharmaceuticals. Iran is the largest producer of quality tragacanth gums.
Tragacanth is a plant product of the Astralgus shrub species commonly used as a food additive. It is normally classified as a gum and is produced in most cases by drying the sap that comes from the trunk and bark of the plant. Ancient cultures in the Middle East, where the shrub species grows most prolifically, used it as a thickening agent, and the gum is still very commonly used as an emulsifier and gelling component in prepared foods today. Processing and harvesting are normally some time consuming but are not normally difficult or expensive resulting in the end product being widely accessible worldwide. The rubber is normally dried into a fine powder that will dissolve and blend into a variety of food substances and is both odorless and colorless. As with most food additives there are some health risks but in general these are limited to allergic reactions and other rare sensitivities. Health officials generally believe that gum is safe for general use, and as long as it’s only used and consumed in small doses, problems aren’t likely to occur.
Vegetable source
Plants in the Astralgus family are also commonly known as goatthorn or locoweed. The stems of these plants exude a special, highly sticky sap that dries quickly, and this dried sap is the ultimate source of the gum. The name comes from the Greek words tragos, which means goat, and akantha, which means thorn. Depending on the location, the rubber may also be called elastic rubber, shiraz rubber or rubber dragon.
There are more than 2000 species of Astralgus, but the most common when it comes to making rubber is Astralgus gummifer Labillardiere. Gum can also come from the Astralgus Microcephalus Willd species. Iran is generally the largest producer of quality tragacanth gums, especially the Zagros Mountains region in the country. Other suppliers in West Asia include the countries of Pakistan and Turkey.
Crop Basics
Gum is removed from shrubs by cutting slits or punctures in the stem. The wet sap will ooze through the openings where it can then be collected. It is generally gathered in long ribbons that resemble the horns of the goats from which it takes its name. This gummy sap is a water-soluble carbohydrate that is not suitable for making chewing gums such as chicle, but is suitable for altering food composition without changing the taste. It normally needs to be dried, then crushed or ground and packaged for distribution and use.
primary uses
Tragacanth is a stabilizer, emulsifier and thickener in many foods. Thickeners, also called thickening agents, are substances that increase the viscosity of foods without affecting their flavor. It also has practical applications in stiffener fabrics, artists’ pastels, and leather goods.
Before rubber is used as a food additive, it is typically dried and ground into a fine powder. The resulting product can be off-white or cream in color. As a food additive, it is nearly odorless, tasteless, and colorless making it an additive that generally does not change the flavor of food. Some food products that contain this gum include jellies, mayonnaises, sauces and syrups. Popsicles, ice cream, liqueurs and candy sometimes contain the additive as well. In some cases it can be found in textiles and pharmaceuticals, including lozenges and emulsions.
Risks and potential health concerns
Compositionally at least, the rubber is quite simple; in most cases it consists mainly of starch, cellulose and nitrogenous substances, as well as the chemical compounds polyarabinan-trigalaetangeddic acid and basrin. In small doses, gum is generally considered safe for human consumption. However, there have been some reports of an allergic reaction to this gum when used as a food additive. While uncommon, allergic reactions can range from a runny nose and watery eyes to breathing problems and anaphylactic shock. The additive also tends to be sensitive to bacterial contamination, which means manufacturers and producers need to have strict safety regulations in place – and many governments and ministries of health have mandated regulations relating to safe handling for both the production of the rubber and for its use.
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