Abstract

• btained from different acacia species. This research was focused on characterization and utilization of purified gum from Acacia catechu (Sha), found in Sagaing Region of Upper Myanmar. Raw gum was manually collected in Summer, and purified by dissolving, filtration, and decolourization using hydrogen peroxide and drying the gum solution in vacuum dryer at 70ºC and 650 mm Hg. Solubility test, chemical tests and hydrolysis products test by thin layer chromatography were conducted to identify the purified gum. For the assessment of the quality of purified gum, purity tests (loss on drying, ash content, starch and dextrin, tannin bearing gum, heavy metals, microorganisms, etc.), physicochemical properties and emulsion stability of purified gum were investigated. Purified gum was used in clarification of three different wines comparatively regarding the characteristics of wines. As a result, the effective clarifying efficiency varied from one wine to another. Purified gum was utilized in making tamarind toffee and it is found that small amount (5%) of gum was efficient for the emulsification of the fat present in toffees. Moreover, purified gum powder was used as drying carrier in the preparation of dehydrated tamarind powder and the results indicate that the purified gum greatly affected the drying time (reduced from 23 hr to 3.5 hr) and solubility of this product.