Tragacanth gum : functionality and prebiotic potential

HASSAN AHMADI GAVLIGHI, ANNE S. MEYER, J. DALGAARD MIKKELSEN

ABSTRACT: Tragacanth gum is a plant derived hydrocolloid that has a long history of use in food, pharma, and cosmetics. The gum is mainly produced in the Middle East and permitted for food use in the US and Europe. Tragacanth gum consists of  complex,  heterogeneous  polysaccharides,  which  contain  different  highly  substituted  pectin-like  structural  elements. Enzymatically  produced  low  molecular-  weight  fractions  of    tragacanth  gum  exhibit  potential  prebiotic  activity  by promoting growth in vitro of Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis strains. These findings may lead to new uses of this gum for production of value-added prebiotic compounds for functional foods.

KEYWORDS: Gum tragacanth; viscosity; prebiotic; Bifidogenic; enzymatic depolymerisation.