Economical importance, structural diversity, and properties of natural gums

Living organisms produce natural gums upon injury or when grown under unfavorable conditions. Natural gums are usually pathological products. These are abnormal products of plant and animal metabolism formed during the process of “gummosis.” Natural gums are extracted/derived from different natural resources, such as plants, algae, animals, microbes, marine, etc. Despite several disadvantages, such as high moisture content and decrease in viscosity during storage, natural gums are preferred over synthetic gums as they are inert and abundantly available in nature with properties like bio-degradability, non-toxicity, water-solubility, emulsifying property, gelling and binding properties, and are comparatively cheap as the production is low cost, etc. The main aim of the current chapter is to highlight the economic importance, structural diversity, and properties of natural gums.