Gums, Resins and Latexes of Plant Origin

Book excerpt: Gums, resins and latexes are a most widely used and traded category of non-wood forest products. The uses of gums embrace food, pharmaceutical and miscellaneous technical applications. Resins have an equally diverse range of applications including their use in paints, varnishes and lacquers, and flavours and fragrances. Latexes are used in specialised applications such as insulating materials and in the manufacture of golf balls and chewing gum. There has been a decline in their use due to competition from synthetic products. This document contains a review of the production, markets and developmental potential of a number of gums, resins and latexes.