Gum Karaya

Gum karaya also known as Indian tragacanth is obtained from Indian plantations of Sterculia urens. Gum Karaya is the dried exudate of the Sterculia Urens tree of the Sterculiaceae family.Gum Karaya occurs naturally as a complex, partially acetylated, branched polysaccharide of high molecular weight. It contains about 37% uronic acid residues and approximately 8% acetyl groups. Gum Karaya is a calcium and magnesium salt, with a central chain of D-galactose, L-rhamnose and D-galacturonic acid units, with some side chains containing D-glucuronic acid.The main crop of Gum Karaya Starts from mid December and it continues till mid June.The Best Quality Gum comes in peak summer that is April, May and June. As the atmospheric temperature increases, better quality of Gum Karaya is collected from sterculia urens tree.