Emerging Natural Hydrocolloids

13 Cashew Tree (Anarcadium occidentale L.) Exudate Gum

Esther Gyedu‐Akoto¹, Frank M. Amoah¹ and Ibok Oduro²

¹ New Product Development Unit, Cocoa Research Institute of Ghana, P.O. Box 8, Akim‐Tafo, Eastern Region, Ghana

² Department of Food Science and Technology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Private Mail Bag, Kumasi, Ashanti Region, Ghana

13.1 Introduction

The cashew tree is a fast‐growing evergreen tropical tree. Although it can withstand high temperatures, a monthly mean of 25 °C is considered optimal. Annual rainfall of 1000 mm is sufficient for production, but 1500–2000 mm can be regarded as optimal [1]. The tree has a well‐developed root system and can tolerate drought conditions. It is a strong plant that grows in sandy soils that are generally unsuitable for other fruit trees. Cashew, Anacardium occidentale L., is a member of the Anacardiaceae family, allied with mango, pistachio, poison ivy, and poison oak. The family contains about 73 genera and about 600 species. Anacardium contains eight species native to tropical America, of which cashew is the most important economically. Trees within the Anacardiaceae family are known for having resinous bark and caustic oils in leaves, bark, and fruits which cause some form of dermatitis in humans. The cashew industry, in particular, had to overcome severe limitations imposed by caustic oils in the nutshell. Today, the caustic substance that made the domestication of the plant difficult is ...