Gum karaya
Gum karaya is the dried exudate from the trunks of Sterculia trees, mainly Sterculia urens in India. Tapped tears are collected, sorted by color and cleanliness, and milled. It is a partly acetylated polysaccharide that swells in water rather than fully dissolving, and has a slight acetic odor.
Suppliers sell different products under the same name. Specify the one you need.
Sorted grades from pale (higher grade) to darker, with fewer impurities in higher grades.
Coarse granules swell into a gel-like mass; fine powder gives smoother dispersions.
Grades made to pharmacopeial monographs for non-food uses.
Compare each result with your own specification when the lot arrives.
Store karaya sealed and cool; powder loses viscosity and releases acetic acid during storage, faster in heat. Rotate stock and avoid long holding of powdered gum. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification.
Viscosity, color and volatile acid vary with grade and age, so record them per lot and note the collection season. Supply comes mainly from India, so record origin.
Facts from regulators and standards bodies, each linked to its source.
21 CFR 184.1349 describes karaya gum (sterculia gum) as the dried gummy exudate from the trunk of Sterculia trees and sets maximum use levels by food category.
Source: ecfr.gov (opens in a new tab)Health Canada's List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents includes karaya gum.
Source: canada.ca (opens in a new tab)This is general information, not regulatory advice. Status differs by country and by how the ingredient is used, so check the rules for your product and market.
Manufacturers and distributors whose own websites say they sell it.
Manufacturer · Port-Mort, France
French processor of natural plant gums, making acacia gum (gum arabic) in spray-dried, instant and granulated grades and karaya gum for food, beverage, pharmaceutical and cosmetic makers.
Suppliers are in alphabetical order and none pays to appear. Each claim is checked against the supplier’s own website on the date shown. Ask for the specification sheet and a recent COA before you order, and confirm details with the supplier.
Common forms include food grades by color, powder by mesh and pharmaceutical grade. Ask each supplier for the specification sheet of the exact grade they quote.
Expect viscosity and swelling, volatile acid, loss on drying, ash and acid-insoluble matter, heavy metals and microbiology, each with its method, specification and result for that lot.
Store karaya sealed and cool; powder loses viscosity and releases acetic acid during storage, faster in heat. Rotate stock and avoid long holding of powdered gum. Shelf life is set by the supplier's specification.
21 CFR 184.1349 describes karaya gum (sterculia gum) as the dried gummy exudate from the trunk of Sterculia trees and sets maximum use levels by food category. Health Canada's List of Permitted Emulsifying, Gelling, Stabilizing or Thickening Agents includes karaya gum.
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