Gum Arabic (Acacia senegal) from Niger-Comparison with other sources and potential agroforestry development

Abstract Analytical data and 13 C NMR spectra are presented for samples of gum from three Acacia senegal (L.) Wild. trees growing in Niger. The data show that the samples comply with the Revised (1990) Specification for gum arabic; the spectra reveale that the gums have, moreover, close structural similarities to Sudanese gum arabic. There is great scope in Niger to increase agroforestry activity based on expansion of its natural Acacia senegal population, but increased care will be necessary at the harvesting and marketing stages to ensure that gum from Acacia senegal is kept free from admixture with that from Combretum nigricans, Acacia seyal and Acacia sieberana , which are not permitted food additives, and which occur more extensively at present in Niger.