Gum Arabic has functional properties unequaled by chemically modified starches and other substitutes. This allows for the formulation of superior products having longer shelf-life etc. New beverage innovations, such as wine coolers, novel confectionery coatings, high fiber drinks and powders, and synergistic combinations with other gums, attest to ongoing research and new product formulation using Gum Arabic. New patents utilizing Gum Arabic in confectionery coatings and lithography have been recently granted, and funding for further research into new uses for this product has been made available by both the Gum Arabic Company and international aid organizations.
     Efforts on the supply side to breed new varieties of Acacia Senegal that provide gum with especially desirable properties should add nuance and opportunity to the food formulator's palette. The introduction of more advanced quality control and grading/sifting/cleaning operations in the Sudan should further standardize Gum Arabic supplies, allowing for more efficient gum processing and more specific gum grades, readily available directly from the origin.