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Tara gum is a plant-based, vegan thickening and stabilising agent belonging to the Leguminosae family. It is extracted by grinding the seeds of Caesalpinia spinosa, a tree native to the Cordillera region of Peru and Bolivia in South America. Commercialised under the Aglumix® 01 brand name, this natural additive shows excellent solubility in hot water and partially in cold water, high viscosity, stability to acid conditions and heat treatment.
Thanks to its versatility tara gum is used in many applications, from food and beverages to cosmetics and nutraceuticals. Tara gum is produced at a state-of-the-art facility located in Chilca (Peru), which was constructed in 2022 by Silvateam and situated about 60 km away from Lima. JRS Silvateam Ingredients commercialises globally tara gum in different grades, such as standard, low and high viscosity as well as 100% organic.
Caesalpinia spinosa is a plant that can grow up to 3,000 metres above sea level and tolerates dry climates and nutrient-poor soils. Its mature reddish pods, which contains round, black seeds, are typically harvested by hand and then left to dry under the sun before undergoing further processing.
Only the seeds are utilised in the production of tara gum. A part of Caesalpinia spinosa seeds thrives in the wild valleys of Peru, involving the participation of over 10,000 local families in the harvesting process. These seeds are subsequently sold at the collection centres within their respective communities and later transported to the factory.
Another source of raw material comes from plants within four proprietary plantations, the only ones present in Peru. These plantations span 620 hectares and comprise over 500,000 trees, distributed between the mountainous region of Huánuco and the desert area of Ica. Planting new trees in such arid terrain plays a relevant role in addressing the climate crisis, counteracting water scarcity and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions.
Aglumix® 01 is soluble in hot water and partially soluble in cold water. Therefore, to ensure full solubility, tara gum must be completely dissolved in warm water (85°C – 185°F), using a suitable high speed stirrer.
Tara gum is exclusively derived from the seeds of Caesalpinia spinosa through mechanical processes. To obtain tara gum, the seeds are extracted from their pods via threshing, followed by sieving to remove impurities and select the highest quality ones.
The seed hull, which is tough and hard, requires a roasting process to break it down to obtain the endosperm. This endosperm is then ground and sieved, after being separated from the germ and hull. The result is tara gum, a white to yellowish, odourless powder.
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