What Is the Role of Acacia in Your Root Beer?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the role of acacia in root beer, specifically acacia gum, which is used to enhance mouthfeel and stabilize foam without significantly affecting viscosity. Participants noted that acacia trees, such as Acacia berlandieri and Acacia rigidula, contain psychoactive compounds, but clarified that the acacia used in beverages is not related to these effects. The conversation also touched on the historical context of root beer and its ingredients, including high fructose corn syrup and caffeine, which some users found surprising in Barq's root beer. Overall, acacia gum is recognized as a key ingredient for improving the sensory experience of the drink.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of food additives and their functions, specifically acacia gum.
  • Familiarity with the ingredients commonly found in soft drinks.
  • Knowledge of the historical context of root beer and its evolution.
  • Basic awareness of psychoactive compounds found in plants.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the properties and uses of acacia gum in food and beverages.
  • Explore the historical significance of root beer and its traditional ingredients.
  • Investigate the effects of high fructose corn syrup versus cane sugar in soft drinks.
  • Find resources on the viscosity of various soft drinks for comparative analysis.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for food scientists, beverage manufacturers, and anyone interested in the formulation and sensory properties of soft drinks, particularly root beer enthusiasts and those studying food additives.

jreelawg
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I wasn't sure where to post this, so feel free to move it if you want.

I was reading the ingredients in my root beer, and I noticed the ingredient, acacia.

"The Ingredients:
Carbonated water, high fructose corn syrup and/or sucrose, caramel color, sodium benzoate (to protect taste), citric acid, caffeine, artificial and natural flavors, acacia."

http://www.rootbeerreviews.com/brews/barqs.php

I wondered what it was, and found that it is a tree, but also that the tree contains various naturally occurring drugs.

I was wondering what part of the acacia tree is in the soft drink, and why it is in there? How can a tree be listed as an ingredient?

"Methamphetamine occurs naturally in Acacia berlandieri and possibly Acacia rigidula, trees which grow in west Texas. Acacia trees contain numerous other psychoactive compounds (ex. amphetamine, mescaline, nicotine, DMT, ...[34]), but scientific papers specifically mentioning the presence of methamphetamine did not exist until 1997 and 1998.[35]"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methamphetamine

Nicotine, mescalin, meth, and DMT, all in one tree, amazing.

Anyways, is my root beer laced, or is acacia used for some other reason?
 
Last edited:
Biology news on Phys.org
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acacia#Uses

The seeds or "berries" are probably what is used. The relative content of the psychoactive compounds is different from one species to the next and they are generally found only in certain parts of the plant. Whether or not there are any of these compounds in the plants used to make Barq's I have no idea. I looked a bit and have not found anything stating what part of what plant is used.
 
Wow. Well I guess that explains my root beer addiction a few years ago.
 
"Barqs got bite" they said.

I found that out the hard way after drinking one late in the evening. At 3 AM I decided that it must have been loaded with caffeine. Root beer is not supposed to be caffeinated.

Still hate them for that. Get "Mug" or A&W.
 
The acacia ingredient you are referring to is acacia gum. It gives a 'round' or 'rich' mouthfeel to the drink and stabilizes the foam. It is unique in the family of gums in that it does not appreciably affect viscosity even in higher concentrations.

Acacia = Polysaccharide
 
i used to drink Barq's when visiting relatives in MS back when i was a kid. it was pretty good back then. then it got wide distribution via coca-cola and something bad happened to it. I'm sure part of it was the industry-wide switch to HFCS instead of cane sugar (new coke, etc.). now barq's is just another soft drink. last time i had an IBC though, they were still pretty good.

now what they oughta do is reintroduce sassafras root, liver cancer be damned.
 
No way Chi, Barqs is the best.
 
Barq's is definitely my favourite root beer.
 
I need to buy myself one of these trees.
 
  • #10
I think root beer was originally a treatment for syphilis. At least Sasparilla was.
 
  • #11
chemisttree said:
The acacia ingredient you are referring to is acacia gum. It gives a 'round' or 'rich' mouthfeel to the drink and stabilizes the foam. It is unique in the family of gums in that it does not appreciably affect viscosity even in higher concentrations.

Acacia = Polysaccharide

Speaking of viscosity... Anybody know where I might find a table of viscosities for different sodas?
 

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