Abstract
Gums and hydrocolloids represent a unique category of food additives. The various types of carbohydrates represented in this category provide many desirable functional properties and important characteristics in foods. Some of those properties include smooth textures, consistent rheological features, finished product stability, and possibly caloric reduction and modulation of the gut microflora. These food additives, many of which are extracted from natural sources, have a history of safe use in the food supply, as noted by numerous food regulatory agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives Combined Compendium of Food Additive Specifications.