Tara gum

Natural ingredient from Peru

A wide range of hydrocolloids and stabilisers are used in the food and beverage industry to perform a range of technological functions and offer innovative products answering to consumer’s needs.

Tara gum is a natural additive, obtained by grinding the endosperm of the seeds of Caesalpinia spinosa, of the Leguminosae family. Tara gum, also called Peruvian carob, is a white to yellowish powder which is soluble in hot water and partially soluble in cold water.

Chemically, Tara gum is comprised of polysaccharides, mainly galactomannans, of high molecular weight.

Tara gum is approved as a food additive by the Food Chemicals Codex and functions mainly as a thickener and stabiliser.
 

Nature from South America

Caesalpinia spinosa is a shrub or tree that can reach a height of 8 meters with spreading, grey-barked leafy branches. The leaves are compound, bipinnate, alternate and spirally organised and reach a length of 35 cm. The fruit is a flat oblong indehiscent reddish pod which contains 4 - 7 large round black seeds composed of endosperm (22% by weight), germ (40%) and hull (38%).

The Tara tree is native to the Cordillera region of Peru and Bolivia in South America, where the fruit grows from April to December. Tara trees grow at up to 3,000 meters above sea level and tolerate dry climates and poor soils including those high in sand and rocks. The tree is also resistant to most pathogens and pests. Mature pods are usually harvested by hand and typically sun dried before processing.
 

Traditional uses of  Tara

Tara pods are an excellent source of environmentally friendly tannins most commonly used in the manufacture of upholstery leather. In fact, Tara powder contains practically no colouring substances and produces very bright, light-resistant leathers. Gallic acid is the main constituent of Tara powder (53%) and can be easily isolated by alkaline hydrolysis of the pods.

Medicinal uses of Tara in Peru include gargling infusions of the pods for inflamed tonsils, washing wounds, fever, cold and stomach aches.