European regulators authorise modified gum arabic as food additive
The additive, dubbed TICAmulsion, is intended for flavour oil emulsions among other food products, and allows flavour concentrate companies to create high load emulsions of up to 40% – an attribute that could be particularly useful in developing fortified beverages, the company said.
The ingredient uses a patented n-octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) modification of gum arabic, and the company claims that it is made from a commonly available grade, which is not susceptible to the shortages associated with other grades of gum arabic.
“The approval of TICAmulsion in the European market allows manufacturers to take advantage of the unique properties of modified gum arabic,” said TIC Gums president Greg Andon. “Its broad regulatory approval will now allow product developers to use TICAmulsion on a global basis to enable dramatically increased productivity or to create new higher oil products.”
The European Food Safety Authority affirmed the safety of the ingredient back in April 2010, and TIC Gums said at that time that it hoped the ingredient would be approved for use in 2011. European agencies amended the relevant regulation to authorise the additive on August 28 2013.
The TICAmulsion ingredient will carry the E number E 423.
