gum arabic

gum + Arabic; the name was used in Arabic and other Middle Eastern languages since the 9th century (الصمغ العربي‎), and retained in the languages of Europeans who first acquired it via Arab ports.

gum arabic (countable and uncountable, plural gums arabic)

1. An edible substance taken from one of two species of sub-Saharan acacia trees, Senegalia senegal and Vachellia seyal, used in the food industry as a stabilizer (e.g. in soda, gumdrops and marshmallows) and in other industries including pharmaceuticals, paints and polishes.

• E414 when used as a thickener, stabiliser or emulsifier, gum acacia, acacia gum, Arabic gum, acacia, Senegal gum, Indian gum

• gum arabic tree

• gum arabic on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• gum arabic on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons