阿拉伯胶是一种来源于合金欢树（Acacia sengal （L.） Willdenow）及其它亲近树种的具有高度支化结构和复杂组成的天然植物胶。因阿拉伯胶具有良好的水溶性、增稠性、乳化性、稳定性等性质以及安全无毒、生物相容性良好、可生物降解的天然属性，且利用其分子结构中的羟基、糖苷键等活性官能团进行物理、化学、酶处理及共混/复合后能显著改善其理化性质、增强其功效性能，使得阿拉伯胶及其改性产物和复合物在日用化工、食品、医药、纺织印染、油墨、功能材料等多个行业领域得到广泛应用。本文浅述了阿拉伯胶的名称、来源、结构和典型理化性质与功能特性，并较为系统地介绍了阿拉伯胶的提取方法和再加工工艺，同时介绍了阿拉伯胶及其改性产物和复合物的应用情况，并提及了阿拉伯胶及其改性产物和复合物当前所面临的主要问题及今后的研发方向与发展前景。
Arabic gum is one kind of natural plant gum derived from Acacia sengal （L.） Willdenow and other related tree species, characterized by its highly branched structure and complex composition. Arabic gum possesses excellent water solubility, thickening property, emulsifying ability, and stability properties, as well as safe, non-toxic nature, good biocompatibility, and biodegradability. Moreover, both its physicochemical properties and functional performance can be further improved by conducting physical, chemical, enzymatic treatments and blending/composite processing with the active functional groups, such as hydroxyl groups and glycosidic bonds, in the arabic gum molecular structure. As a result, arabic gum, its modified products and composites have been widely used in various industries, including daily-use chemical industry, food processing industry, pharmaceutical industry, textile industry, printing and dyeing industry, ink industry, and functional materials manufacturing industry. In this paper, the name, source, chemical structure, main physicochemical properties and functional characteristics of arabic gum are briefly introduced. Its extraction methods and reprocessing techniques are also systematically presented. Furthermore, the application status of arabic gum and its modified products, its composites, as well as the main issues currently faced by them are together summarized. Meanwhile, some future research and development directions and prospects of arabic gum are properly pointed out.
