Gum arabic (A. senegal) is a pale white to orange-brown solid, which breaks with a glassy fracture. The best grades are in the form of whole, spheroidal tears of varying size with a matt surface texture. When ground, the pieces are paler and have a glassy appearance.

Color:    Pale white to yellowish- orange
Solubility:    highly soluble in water, give up to 50%
Moisture:    less than 15%
Total ash:    less than 4%
Viscosity:    70 110 mpsc
PROTEIN:    0.7-1.0%
NITROGEN:    0.106 - 0.156%
Acid Insoluble Residue:     0.35% max