Science for Product Makers - Know your cannabis beverage ingredients: Gum Acacia

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Gum acacia, also known as gum arabic, is naturally derived from the sap of various species of the Acacia tree. It has been utilized for centuries for its amazing properties in emulsifying, stabilizing, solubilizing and filming. With the rapid growth of the cannabis beverage industry, gum acacia has found itself another perfect task: to deliver cannabinoids by way of a stable, palatable and scalable cannabis emulsion.

Left: Gum exudated from the tree 

Harvesting and processing gum acacia

Gum acacia is a natural gift from Africa. It is mainly produced in the region called the “Gum Belt”, stretching across the continent from Guinea to Somalia.

The production of gum acacia starts by tapping the acacia tree. A small incision is made usually in October when the leaves start to fall. The incision doesn’t hurt the tree, but stimulates secretion of gum — its natural self defense mechanism. When it comes into contact with air and sunlight, the exudated gum curls into a golden ball, which is harvested as raw material. The gum is then dried, purified by removing the bark material and usually spray dried to generate a homogenous, consistent gum acacia powder.

Fig. 1 -

The science of gum acacia

Gum acacia is a highly complex polysaccharide with a molecular weight of around 250 kDa. It is very challenging to draw its complete chemical structure, so researchers use a simple schematic to illustrate it (see fig. 1): the large bulbs are hydrophilic while the thin lines in between are hydrophobic. At the water / oil interface, hydrophobic parts are naturally attracted to the cannabis oil phase and the hydrophilic part (the large bulbs) to the water phase (see fig. 2).

Fig. 2 -

Gum acacia is a part of our everyday lives

Every can of Coca Cola, and a majority of CPG products, use some level of gum acacia. It's all thanks to its amazing properties:

1. Efficient emulsifier: Gum acacia is built to emulsify! It can generate emulsion with a wide range of hydrophobic inputs — from flavor and cosmetic oils and food ingredients to active ingredients in drugs. It is also compatible with cannabinoids, which is why lots of cannabis infused beverages have gum acacia on the label.
2. Highly stable: Gum acacia is a huge molecule. When it sits on the border of oil and water, it forms a thick layer of “skin” that provides great stability to the emulsion droplets. When two emulsion droplets start to get close to each other, the bulky gum acacia molecules prevent them from merging, a phenomenon called “Steric Effect”. Preventing droplets from merging is important for emulsion stability.
3. Great taste: What does gum acacia taste like? Not much! Since it doesn’t bring in bitter, sour or herbaceous notes, it becomes an effective tool for flavor chemists. It also offers a rich and smooth mouthfeel that can boost the overall tasting experience.
4. Organic label: Gum acacia is derived directly from the acacia tree and can be granted a Certified Organic Label — making it accessible to health-conscious consumers.
5. Safe to consume: The FDA does not have a strict maximum daily consumption limit for gum acacia. It's believed that consuming up to 15-30 grams of gum acacia daily will not cause any health concerns.
6. Other potential health benefits: Gum acacia has gained attention for its potential prebiotic effects and its impact on gut health (Source). Prebiotics are non-digestible food components that selectively stimulate the growth and activity of beneficial bacteria in the gut. By supporting the growth of beneficial bacteria, gum acacia may help improve digestion, enhance nutrient absorption, and strengthen the gut barrier function (Source). In 2021, the FDA identified gum acacia as a dietary fiber by confirming its efficacy in reducing blood glucose, insulin and cholesterol levels (source). Moreover, gum acacia has been investigated for its potential anti-inflammatory properties, which can be attributed to its ability to inhibit certain pro-inflammatory molecules and signaling pathways (Source).

The future of gum acacia

As a widely applied food ingredient, gum acacia already plays an important role in the cannabis beverage industry. The value it brings to flavor and stability ensures its popularity in the future development of the industry. Furthermore, there's still much to be explored regarding gum acacia’s efficacy when combined with certain cannabinoids (such as CBG) to maximize its therapeutic effects and target inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Even though gum acacia is already a part of our everyday lives, there’s still more to unlock!

Dr. Harold Han — the “Happy Chemist” — combines his storied background in emulsion chemistry and science with curiosity and fascination in the rapidly growing cannabis industry. Developing nano and micro emulsions his entire career, Harold holds a Ph.D in Surface Chemistry from NYU and is the inventor of multiple patents in emulsion chemistry.

As the Chief Science Officer at Vertosa, Harold spearheads the company’s development of industry-leading and customized active ingredients for infused product makers, offering pre-suspended aqueous solutions to create incredibly homogenous and stable products while maximizing bioavailability, clarity, and taste.

To learn more about the science of cannabis, check out Harold’s Happy Chemist videos.

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Header image: Stacte, Myrrh natural exudation, Opobalsamum, Light Myrrh pieces, Light myrrh treated with Styrax benzoin, 06, 2019