Investigation of the Potentials of the Binding Properties of Mango, Cashew and Blended Gums
Investigation of the Potentials of the Binding Properties of Mango, Cashew and Blended Gums

Summary/Abstract: This research is aimed at production and investigation of the potentials of blending mango gum with cashew gum on its binding properties as a substitute for gum Arabic. The high demand for adhesives has led to the search for other alternatives to Arabic and cashew gum due to their high cost and non-availability. Thus, the need to investigate the potentials of mango gum as well as the possibility of replacing mango gum with cashew gum to be employed as an adhesive. The raw gum was extracted from the mango tree, dried, sorted, underwent size reduction of the gum exudates, sieved into different mesh sizes, dissolved in distilled water and centrifuged to remove impurities and other polysaccharides. The binding properties of the extracted mango gum was monitored in terms of physicochemical properties such as viscosity, pH and specific gravity of the gum using capillary viscometer, pH meter and density bottle respectively. The variation of the agitation speed between 250, 500 and 750 rpm, particle size of the raw MG between 75 µm, 212 µm and 300 µm and the replacement of MG with CG from 0-50% at interval of 10% respectively. The effect of agitation speed, particle size of the raw MG and the replacement of MG with CG were investigated in terms of the viscosity, pH and specific gravity of the gum and found that the best quality gum was obtained at particle size of 75 µm, pH of 4.7, agitation speed of 500 rpm and specific gravity of 1.06 respectively. Results indicated that the use of additives such as glycerine, starch and zinc oxide enhanced the binding properties of the gum and MG as well as gums blended with CG were found to fall within the limits to be considered to possess good binding properties. An increase in MG replacement with CG up to 50 %, resulted in a decrease in viscosity and specific gravity of the blended gum by 21.32 % and 3.77 % respectively while pH experienced an increase from 4.4-5.7 i.e. more alkaline in nature.

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