Prebiotic potential of gum Arabic for gut health

• Main Authors: Elnour, Ahmed Adam Hassan Mohammed, Abdurahman, Nour Hamid, Musa, Khalid Hamid, Rasheed, Zafar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Qassim University 2023
• Subjects: R Medicine (General); TP Chemical technology
• Online Access: http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/42723/1/Prebiotic%20potential%20of%20gum%20Arabic%20for%20gut%20health.pdf; http://umpir.ump.edu.my/id/eprint/42723/; https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10624802/

Gum Arabic (GA), or Gum Acacia, is a natural polysaccharide extensively employed as a food additive and stabilizer, deriving its origin from the exudates of Acacia trees.[1] Although traditionally prized for its emulsifying, thickening, and stabilizing attributes in the food and beverage industry,[2] research has highlighted GA’s potential health benefits, especially as a prebiotic in the human gut.[3,4] The human gut microbiome, an intricate ecosystem of trillions of microorganisms, including bacteria, fungi, and viruses, helps to preserve overall health.[5] A well-balanced, diverse microorganism community in the gut is essential,[6] as disturbances in the microbiome have been linked to several health complications, such as inflammatory bowel disease, obesity, and mental health disorders.[7,8] Thus, GA, traditionally a food ingredient, exhibits potential as a health-promoting prebiotic in the human gut.