Uses for Gum Arabic
<p >Gum arabic's <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixture" title="Mixture" >mixture</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharide" title="Saccharide" class="mw-redirect" >saccharides</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycoprotein" title="Glycoprotein" >glycoproteins</a> gives it the properties of a glue and binder which is edible by humans. </p>
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Other substances have replaced it in situations where <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toxicity" title="Toxicity" >toxicity</a> is not an issue, as the proportions of the various chemicals in gum arabic vary widely and make it unpredictable. </p>
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Still, it remains an important ingredient in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soft_drink" title="Soft drink" >soft drink</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syrup" title="Syrup" >syrups</a>, "hard" gummy candies such as <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumdrops" title="Gumdrops" class="mw-redirect" >gumdrops</a>,<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshmallow" title="Marshmallow" >marshmallows</a>, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M%26M%27s" title="M&M's" >M&M's</a> chocolate candies and edible glitter, a very popular, modern cake-decorating staple. </p>
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For <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Artist" title="Artist" >artists</a>, it is the traditional <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binder_(material)" title="Binder (material)" >binder</a> used in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Watercolor" title="Watercolor" class="mw-redirect" >watercolor</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paint" title="Paint" >paint</a>, in photography for <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gum_printing" title="Gum printing" >gum printing</a>, and it is used as a binder in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrotechnic" title="Pyrotechnic" class="mw-redirect" >pyrotechnic</a> compositions. It has been investigated for use in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dialysis" title="Dialysis" >intestinal dialysis</a>. </p>
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<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pharmaceutical" title="Pharmaceutical" class="mw-redirect" >Pharmaceuticals</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cosmetics" title="Cosmetics" >cosmetics</a> also use the gum as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Excipient#Binders" title="Excipient" >binder</a>, emulsifying agent and a suspending or viscosity increasing agent.<sup id="cite_ref-0" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gum_arabic#cite_note-0" >[1]</a></sup> Gum arabic has been used in the past as a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wine" title="Wine" >wine</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fining_agent" title="Fining agent" class="mw-redirect" >fining agent</a>.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference" ><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gum_arabic#cite_note-1" >[2]</a></sup></p>
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It is an important ingredient in <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shoe_polish" title="Shoe polish" >shoe polish</a>, and can be used in making homemade incense cones. </p>
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It is also used as a lickable <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adhesive" title="Adhesive" >adhesive</a>, for example on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postage_stamp_gum" title="Postage stamp gum" >postage stamps</a> and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigarette_papers" title="Cigarette papers" class="mw-redirect" >cigarette papers</a>. </p>
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Printers employ it to stop <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxidation" title="Oxidation" class="mw-redirect" >oxidation</a> of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aluminium" title="Aluminium" >aluminium</a> <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printing" title="Printing" >printing</a> plates in the interval between processing of the plate and its use on a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Printing_press" title="Printing press" >printing press</a>.<sup class="Template-Fact" >[<i><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed" >citation needed</a></i>]</sup></p>