Physicochemical and Functional Studies on Different Forms of Acacia tortilis var. raddiana Gum

Abstract

Samples from Acacia tortilis var. raddiana gum were collected as natural exudates from Mahala, Sharg Alneel area (between Alelaphone and Um dawanban) in Khartoum state , Sudan in April 2015. Average of moisture content was 10.869.(w/w), average of ash content was 3.07%(w/w), average of pH was 5.3 . The samples were divided into three categories according to the shapes of gum exudates, (spiral , sifting , and nodules). Analysis of Acacia tortilis var. raddiana results show that, the number average molecular weight was 4.95 X 106 gm/mol, average specific optical rotation was (+ 72), average refractive index was 1.34%, average of nitrogen content was 1.1% (w/w), average of protein content was 7.37% (w/w), (using nitrogen conversion factor, 6.7) Acacia tortilis var. raddiana cationic composition analysis show the all forms of gum exudates have similar average value of calcium 0.89%(w/w), potassium 0.32%(w/w), magnesium 0.26%(w/w), phosphorous 0.07%(w/w), and sodium 0.02%(w/w) . Emulsion stability of the three different formes with four types of commercial refined oils were studied . Emulsification studies showed that Acacia tortilis var. raddiana has a high emulsification power as its oil-water emulsion possessed constant absorbance with stability increasing with time.