Gum Arabic
Gum arabic is the dried exudate of Acacia trees growing across the Sahelian gum belt from Senegal to the Red Sea. Tapped by wounding the bark in the dry season, it hardens into pale amber nodules that dissolve readily in cold water to give a solution of unusually low viscosity for its concentration. That property makes it the reference natural emulsifier and stabiliser of the food industry, where it holds the flavour oils in soft drinks, coats confectionery, prevents sugar crystallisation and carries encapsulated flavours. It is also used as a binder in printing inks, watercolour paint and lithography, as a pharmaceutical excipient, and as a soluble dietary fibre.
Listed gum arabic markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Gum arabic is contracted on species, on the physical sortation delivered by the collector, and on the identity and purity tests of the food additive compendia. Hashab and talha are different additives with different functional performance, and the contract names one of them.
Species as the contracted article
4 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| HashabAcacia senegal, also cited as Senegalia senegal | The premium article. Pale, high nitrogen, high in the arabinogalactan-protein fraction that does the emulsifying work. Positive specific optical rotation. |
| TalhaAcacia seyal, also cited as Vachellia seyal | Darker, lower nitrogen, higher molecular weight and used where the emulsification demand is lower or where soluble fibre is the point. Negative specific optical rotation. |
| BlendsDeclared, with the ratio | Hashab and talha blends are legitimate contracted articles when the ratio is stated. They are never delivered against a straight hashab contract. |
| Species verificationSpecific optical rotation, and nitrogen content | The sign of the optical rotation separates the two species on the bench. It is the standard authenticity check and it is contracted. |
Physical form and sortation
7 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Hand-picked selectedWhole, clean, hand-selected nodules | Abbreviated HPS. The top of the physical ladder and the article specified by name in the trade. |
| Cleaned and siftedScreened and cleaned whole gum | The bulk grade for industrial processing into powder. |
| SiftingsSmall pieces passing the sorting screen | A separately contracted article, priced against HPS and never delivered in its place. |
| DustFines, declared with the mesh | What falls through the finest screen. |
| KibbledMechanically broken to a stated particle size | Crushed whole gum, sized by sieve aperture. |
| Spray dried powderDeclared, with the mesh and the solution concentration used | Dissolved, filtered, pasteurised and spray dried. The article most food manufacturers actually buy, and it carries its own microbiological specification. |
| ColourDeclared, against a retained reference sample | Pale amber through to dark reddish. Matched to a sealed sample held by both parties. |
Identity and purity, food additive specification
12 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen contentPercentage by mass | Determined by Kjeldahl. The proxy for the protein bound arabinogalactan fraction that does the emulsifying, and the classical hashab and talha discriminator. |
| Protein contentPercentage by mass, calculated from nitrogen | Nitrogen multiplied by the species factor stated in the specification. |
| Specific optical rotationDegrees, on a solution of stated concentration | Positive for Acacia senegal, negative for Acacia seyal. The authenticity test. |
| ViscosityMillipascal seconds, on a solution of stated concentration and temperature | Low viscosity at high solids is the functional property the buyer is purchasing. |
| Loss on dryingPercentage by mass, maximum | Determined by oven drying at the stated temperature. |
| Total ashPercentage by mass, maximum | Mineral residue after incineration. |
| Acid-insoluble matterPercentage by mass, maximum | Sand and silica. The measure of how the gum was collected off the tree and the ground. |
| Water-insoluble matterPercentage by mass, maximum | Bark and fibre that never dissolves. |
| Starch and dextrinLimit test, negative | Iodine test for the classical adulterants. |
| Tannin-bearing gumsLimit test, negative | Ferric chloride test, which excludes gum from unrelated species. |
| Lead, arsenic, cadmium and mercuryMilligrams per kilogram, maximum | By inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, against the compendium and CXS 193. |
| Microbiological limitsColony forming units per gram, maximum, with the pathogen absence criteria | Total plate count, yeasts and moulds, Escherichia coli and Salmonella. Contracted for every food grade lot. |
Origin, legality and delivery
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Botanical originDeclared, with the binomial species name | The genus alone is not a specification. Related species yield materially different material and they are priced apart. |
| Wild harvested or cultivatedDeclared | It drives availability, legality documentation and, in several of these articles, the chemistry. |
| Legality and collection permitDeclared, with the permit reference | Export permit, forest concession or community collection agreement. Wild resins move on paperwork and it travels with the lot. |
| CertificationCertificate, with the scheme and the certificate number | Organic, FairWild, Fair for Life or a private buyer standard, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| PackingDeclared | Jute or polypropylene bags, cartons, fibre drums, steel drums or bulk bags, with the liner specified. Soft resins are contracted with a temperature term because they cold flow. |
| Sampling planDeclared | How many packages are sampled, by whom, and against which retained reference sample. Hand sorted natural material is heterogeneous between bags. |
| Food additive numberDeclared, as INS 414 or E 414 | The regulatory identity of the article in the destination market. |
| Processing routeDeclared | Raw, kibbled, mechanically powdered or spray dried, with pasteurisation and filtration stated where applied. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| Sudan | Kordofan, Darfur, Blue Nile and Gedaref | Origin |
| Chad | Sahelian belt, Guera and Salamat | Origin |
| Nigeria | Jigawa, Yobe, Borno, Bauchi and Katsina | Origin |
| Senegal | Louga, Matam and the Ferlo | Origin |
| Mali | Kayes and Segou | Origin |
| Niger | Zinder, Maradi and Diffa | Origin |
| Mauritania | Trarza and Brakna | Origin |
| Burkina Faso | Sahel and Est regions | Origin |
| Ethiopia | Tigray, Amhara and Benishangul-Gumuz | Origin |
| Eritrea | Gash-Barka | Origin |
| Kenya | Northern rangelands | Origin |
| Tanzania | Northern and central regions | Origin |
| Cameroon | Far North region | Origin |
| Somalia | Southern and central regions | Origin |
| France | Rouen, Bordeaux and the Paris basin | Destination |
| United Kingdom | London and the North West | Destination |
| Germany | Hamburg and North Rhine-Westphalia | Destination |
| Italy | Milan and Genoa | Destination |
| Spain | Barcelona and Valencia | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam | Destination |
| Belgium | Antwerp | Destination |
| Switzerland | Basel | Destination |
| United States | New Jersey, Illinois and California | Destination |
| Canada | Ontario and Quebec | Destination |
| Mexico | Mexico City and Jalisco | Destination |
| Brazil | Sao Paulo | Destination |
| India | Gujarat, Maharashtra and Delhi | Destination |
| China | Shanghai, Guangdong and Shandong | Destination |
| Japan | Tokyo and Osaka | Destination |
| South Korea | Seoul and Busan | Destination |
| Indonesia | Jakarta and Surabaya | Destination |
| Turkey | Istanbul and Izmir | Destination |
| Egypt | Alexandria and Cairo | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Jeddah and Riyadh | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Dubai | Destination |
| South Africa | Gauteng and Western Cape | Destination |
| Australia | New South Wales and Victoria | Destination |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the material is tapped or gathered at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is drying, hand sorting, grading, laboratory clearance and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sudan | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Apr, arrival Jan to JunTapping starts after the rains end and the collection runs through the dry season, with picking every few weeks off the same wounds. Auction, cleaning and hand sorting sit between the last pick and the vessel at Port Sudan. | ||||
| Chad | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Apr, arrival Feb to JulThe same Sahelian dry season window, with a long inland leg through Cameroon or Sudan to reach a port. | |||
| Nigeria | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Apr, arrival Jan to JunHarmattan season tapping across the northern belt, consolidated at Kano and shipped from Lagos. | ||||
| Senegal | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest Dec to May, arrival Feb to JulFerlo collection through the dry season, shipped from Dakar with a short voyage to Europe. | ||||
| Mali | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest Dec to Apr, arrival Feb to JunKayes and Segou collection on the same dry season pattern, moving out through Dakar or Abidjan. | |||||
| Niger | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest Nov to Apr, arrival Feb to JulZinder and Maradi collection, with the route to a port the binding constraint. | |||
| Ethiopia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Dec to MayDry season tapping in the western and northern lowlands, moving out through Djibouti. | ||||
| Kenya | Harvest | Harvest | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jan to Sep, arrival Mar to NovTwo dry windows either side of the long rains, from the northern rangelands to Mombasa. | ||
| Mauritania | Harvest | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest | Harvest Dec to Apr, arrival Feb to JunTrarza and Brakna collection through the dry season, shipped from Nouakchott. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for gum arabic. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading1301.20 Gum Arabic
- PackingJute or PP bags of 25 kg to 50 kg for tears and lumps, fibre drums or lined cartons for hand sorted and graded material, steel drums for rosin and oleoresins.
- Container loading20ft: 12 t to 20 t depending on grade and bulk density. Hand sorted grades ship light.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on the sorted grade with a retained sealed sample and a certificate of analysis. European trade on the terms of the importing association, arbitration under ICC rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsEU food additive specifications under Regulation 231/2012 where the gum is an additive, covering E414 gum arabic, E413 tragacanth and E904 shellac. Pesticide and heavy metal limits, EU REACH for technical grades, phytosanitary certification, and CITES where the botanical source is a listed species.
Common questions
What grades of gum arabic does SIP Global trade?
We quote 31 published grades of gum arabic, including Hashab - Acacia senegal, also cited as Senegalia senegal, Talha - Acacia seyal, also cited as Vachellia seyal, Blends - Declared, with the ratio, Species verification - Specific optical rotation, and nitrogen content, Hand-picked selected - Whole, clean, hand-selected nodules and Cleaned and sifted - Screened and cleaned whole gum. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is gum arabic graded?
Gum arabic is contracted on species, on the physical sortation delivered by the collector, and on the identity and purity tests of the food additive compendia. Hashab and talha are different additives with different functional performance, and the contract names one of them. Grading runs on 4 systems: Species as the contracted article, Physical form and sortation, Identity and purity, food additive specification and Origin, legality and delivery.
Where does SIP Global trade gum arabic?
We trade gum arabic in Sudan, Chad, Nigeria, Senegal, Mali, Niger, Mauritania and Burkina Faso and 29 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is gum arabic harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are Sudan: harvest nov to apr, arrival jan to jun; Chad: harvest nov to apr, arrival feb to jul; Nigeria: harvest nov to apr, arrival jan to jun; Senegal: harvest dec to may, arrival feb to jul; Mali: harvest dec to apr, arrival feb to jun. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for gum arabic?
Gum arabic is normally classified under HS 1301.20 (gum arabic). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for gum arabic?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 1 listed gum arabic market is published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- Codex AlimentariusFAO and WHO food standards
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.