Source: IE
Context: Sudan’s eruption into conflict has affected the supplies of gum Arabic across the world.
Gum arabic:
- It is a natural gum derived from the hardened sap of two species of the Acacia tree – Senegalia Senegal and Vachellia seyal.
- The gum is harvested commercially from wild trees, mostly in Sudan (80%) and throughout the Sahel (from Senegal to Somalia).
- Gum Arabic first found its way to Europe via Arabic ports, hence the name.
- It is soluble in water, edible and used primarily in the food industry and soft-drink industry as a stabiliser.
- It is also used in printing, paints, glues, cosmetics, and viscosity control in inks and textile industries.
