Gum arabic is a natural gum made from the hardened sap of trees native to the Middle East and parts of Western Asia. Food manufacturers often use it as a stabilizer in food and drinks that are designed to have a long shelf life, and the soft drink industry is one of the world’s largest consumers.

it remains an important ingredient in soft drink syrups, "hard" gummy candies such as gumdrops, marshmallows, edible glitter and it is a very popular, modern cake-decorating staple.