Acacia fiber has been classified as a dietary fiber in the US by the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) new food and nutritional labeling rules, following a five-year campaign led by acacia gum manufacturer Nexira.

Nexira’s ongoing discussions with the FDA were at the forefront of the effort, bringing together different acacia gum manufacturers to reinforce evidence supporting the beneficial physiological effects of acacia fiber on blood glucose attenuation.

The FDA confirmed that acacia gum has physiological effects that are beneficial to human health and therefore is in compliance with the dietary fiber definition. 

“Considering the strong scientific evidence on acacia fiber we were confident, but we are satisfied with the FDA decision to add acacia fiber to the approved list of dietary fibers,” declares Olivier Bove, Nexira regulatory affairs manager. 

Clinical study illuminates the path to FDA approval
In 2019, Nexira launched a proprietary clinical study which supplied solid evidence that acacia gum consumption has beneficial physiological effects on human health by attenuation of post-prandial blood glucose levels. 

On behalf of Nexira and representatives of the acacia gum industry, Keller and Heckman submitted a citizen petition in January to request that Acacia be recognized as a dietary fiber for nutrition labeling and claims on F&B marketed in the US.

The outcome allows Nexira’s customers who use its inavea and Fibregum brands, to position products as a source of dietary fiber.Acacia gum now counts as a dietary fiber on American Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels.

“Acacia fiber is easy to use in a large array of nutritional applications and we are convinced it has a huge potential for food and drink developers who want to formulate healthy, natural and organic products,” says Mathieu Dondain, managing director of Nexira. 

Until the FDA completes the approval process, the agency will exercise enforcement discretion to allow manufacturers to include the amount of acacia fiber in the dietary fiber declaration on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels.

Nutrition labeling green light
Meanwhile, natural gums supplier Alland & Robert, along with a work group of other acacia gum stakeholders submitted two science-backed citizen petitions in 2019 and 2020, in order to provide the FDA with data showing proof that acacia gum has physiological benefits to human health.

The company recently invested €11 million (US$12.9 million) to install a fourth production line at its plant in Normandy, France. 

“We have provided the FDA with numerous data coming from several clinical trials to support our request that acacia gum be recognized as a dietary fiber,” says Dr. Isabelle Jaouen, R&D director at Alland & Robert.

A few of the benefits include the reduction of blood glucose and insulin levels after it is eaten with a meal containing a carbohydrate that raises blood glucose levels.

The current FDA outcome will allow acacia gum to count as a dietary fiber on American Nutrition and Supplement Facts labels.