Gum tragacanth

This jelling substance comes from the shrub Astralagus gummifier, which is native to the Middle East. It is collected and dried into a powder form, which is then reconstituted with water to form a gooey, gelatinous substance. This is an essential ingredient of gum paste. It is flavorless, colorless, and odorless. Used in the same fashion as Gum arabic, this vegetable gum is also used as an emulsifier, thickener, and stabilizer, and to help prevent crystallization in many processed foods such as ice cream, candy, jam, and commercial sauces.