Cassia Gum – Natural Polymer, Food Additive, Cassia Tora, Cassia Obtusifolia

May 28, 2010 - PRLog -- Cassia gum is a food additive made from the endosperm of Cassia obtusifolia also known as Senna obtusifolia or Cassia tora. Cassia gum is a naturally occurring polymer with mannose and galactose as its repeating units. Cassia gum forms high viscosity by swelling in water after it is boiled. Cassia gum is the purified flour from the endosperm of the seeds of Cassia obtusifolia and Cassia tora which belong to the leguminosae family. These seeds are generally contaminated with seeds from C.occidentalis. The seeds that are used in the production of cassia gum are generally picked randomly from these contaminated seeds. Before the seed splitting process is started, the seeds of Cassia obtusifolia and Cassia tora are passed through grading machines to differentiate them on the basis of their size. During this procedure, the underdeveloped seeds are removed and C. occidentalis seeds are reduced to no more than 0.05%. A composite sample of each fraction is given to the laboratory for inspection for the presence of C. occidentalis. Cassia gum is primarily the ground purified endosperm of the seeds of Cassia tora and Cassia obtusifolia containing less than 0.1% of C. occidentalis. The seeds are dehusked and de-germed by thermal mechanical treatment followed by milling and screening of the endosperm. The ground endosperm is further purified by extraction with isopropanol. Cassia gum is used as thickener, emulsifier, foam stabilizer, moisture retention agent and texturizing agent in cheese, frozen dairy desserts and mixes, meat products and poultry products.

Cassia Gum Applications
The cassia gum is technically used like Locust Bean Gum. In the European Union it is used in canned pet food additives as a gelling agent and also in air fresheners. In Asia, e. g. in Japan it is GRAS approved and thus can be used in food applications like ready to serve meals, dressings, spice sauces, fruit gums, ice creams, milk products, meat products etc. Like Locust Bean Gum Cassia has to be cooked at approx. 80°C to perform full viscosity or gelling.

Canned Pet Food Additives as a Gelling Agent
Cassia gum used in pet food industry as a gelling agent and is approved for use in Europe by the Commission Directive (EEC No. E 499) and is listed in the Annex of the Council Directive (70/524/EEC) as a stabilizer, thickening and gelling agent in the manufacture of canned pet foods for cats and dogs. A panel of experts in the areas of toxicology, pharmacology and food science was assembled to review the safety of cassia gum as a thickening agent in pet foods in the United States. The available data on cassia gum and structurally related gums demonstrate a lack of toxic effects in animals. This review is the basis for the consideration of cassia gum as generally recognized as safe under conditions of its intended use as a thickening agent in pet foods. Cassia gum or semi-refined cassia gum has been used since the early 1990s as a thickening and gelling agent in pet foods and canned meat for cats and canned meat for dogs.

Cassia Gum for Food Industry

Based upon its chemical structure, cassia gum is stable during food processing and storage and it could only degrade, if at all, into sugars. The applications include the use of cassia gum in the food categories below, as described in United States Code of Federal Regulation 21 C.F.R. 170, at levels ranging from 2,500 mg/kg to 3,500 mg/kg (0.25 % - 0.35 %).

Cheeses:- Cassia gum is used in chesses including curd cheese, whey cheese, cream cheese, natural cheese, grated cheese, processed cheese, dip cheese and miscellaneous cheeses.

Frozen Dairy, Desserts and Mixes:-  Cassia gum is used in ice cream, ice milks, sherbets and other frozen dairy desserts and specialties.

Meat Products:- Cassia gum is used in all meat containing dishes including salads, appetizers, frozen multi course meat meals and sandwich ingredients prepared by commercial processing or using commercially processed meats with home preparation.

Poultry Products:- Cassia gum is used in poultry products including all poultry and poultry containing dishes, salads, appetizers, frozen multi course poultry meals, and sandwich ingredients prepared by commercial processed poultry with home preparation.

Other Cassia Gum Applications

It is concluded that the product is stable without chemical modifications for at least 20 months. All changes in the values are within the limits of our specification. The only significant changes are observed in the LOD value. This is due to the fact that the product is hydroscopic until a final moisture content of 8-12% is achieved. Cassia gum being as a stabilizer, thickening and gelling agent can be used in other applications like Textile Industries, Pharmaceuticals, Nutraceuticals, Paper Industry, Oil Drilling, Cosmetics and Personal Care.For More Information Please Visit  http://www.cassiagums.com.

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Information on cassia gum, a natural polymer also known as Senna obtusifolia or Cassia tora used for pet foods, freshener, food additive and medicinal uses. Cassia gum is obtained from Cassia Obtusifolia also known as Cassia seeds.