Arabic gum or acacia gum is a chemical compound.

The name describes the structure of the molecule:

• Arabic refers to the fact that rubber was historically exported to Europe from Arabic-speaking countries, hence the name.
• Gum. This term is used to describe the viscous or sticky substances that exude from certain plants or trees.

It's not synthesized in a lab but is instead harvested directly from nature. The process takes place in different steps:

• Tapping the tree. The bark of the acacia tree is cut or tapped, causing the gum to escape as a protective response.
• Hardening. The gum hardens on exposure to air, forming tear-shaped droplets or nodules on the bark of the tree.
• Harvesting. After a certain period of time (usually a few weeks), the hardened gum is harvested by hand.
• Cleaning and sorting. The harvested gum is cleaned to remove impurities and sorted by size and colour.
• Drying and packaging. The gum is then dried and packaged for sale or further processing.

Arabic gum is obtained by engraving the bark of two species of trees:

• Acacia Senegal for food applications, pharmaceuticals
• Acacia Seyal for wine and biotechnology applications

What it is used for and where

Food

Ingredient included in the list of European food additives as  E414.

It is made up of dietary fibres that are easily water-soluble and it is used as an emulsive, thickening and stabilizing for aromas and for these purposes:

• Emulsion candy
• Gummy gelling candy
• Chewing gum for coating
• Thicking meats
• Stabilizing yogurt
• Yeast bread
• Color stabilizing wines

Medical

An excipient commonly included in drugs as a thickener.

Cosmetics

Viscosity control agent. It controls and adapts viscosity to the required level for optimal chemical and physical stability of the product and dosage in gels, suspensions, emulsions, solutions. 

Arabic gum studies

• Molecular Formula: C₁₂H₇ClN₂O₃  
• EINECS: 232-519-5
• CAS : 9000-01-5
• MDL number: MFCD00081264
• FEMA: 2001

Synonyms :

• 5-Chlorooxazolo[4,5-h]quinoline-2-carboxylic acid methyl ester 
• 8604-84-0 
• E414
• 86048-40-0 
• CID24747 
• D05670 
• methyl 5-chloro-[1,3]oxazolo[4,5-h]quinoline-2-carboxylate 
• methyl 5-chlorooxazolo[4,5-h]quinoline-2-carboxylate 
• Methyl 5-chlorooxazolo(4,5-h)quinoline-2-carboxylate 
• Oxazolo(4,5-h)quinoline-2-carboxylic acid, 
• 5-chloro- 
• Quazolastum 
• Quazolast
• RHC 3988

References________________________________________________________________

(1) Manawi Y, Kochkodan V, Mahmoudi E, Johnson DJ, Mohammad AW, Atieh MA Characterization and Separation Performance of a Novel Polyethersulfone Membrane Blended with Acacia Gum.  Sci Rep. 2017 Nov 20;7(1):15831. doi: 10.1038/s41598-017-14735-9.