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Study was conducted on the electrochemical method of preparing colloidal silver at low DC voltage. A natural stabilizer was used as a carob bean gum from the carob bean. Using a UV-Vis spectrophotometer and a transmission electron microscope (TEM), colloidal silver (silver nanoparticles) was characterized. It is possible to produce colloidal silver of satisfactory quality by means of this electrochemical method. Silver nanoparticles have exhibited surface plasmon resonance as determined by UV-vis analysis. Based on the TEM analysis, the silver nanoparticles appear to be spherical except in sample E1, where they appear rod-shaped and micrometer-sized. Other three samples had particle sizes ranging from 23–52 nm. In a qualitative analysis of colloidal silver solutions, two types of antibacterial activity were observed. At all dilutions, some colloidal solutions showed better antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria (S. aureus, S. pyogenes, E. faecalis) while others displayed better antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria (S. enteridis, P. aeruginosa, E. coli).

Abstract Polysaccharides in carob fruit, including carob bean gum (also known as carob gum, locust bean gum) and carob fiber, are widely used in industries such as food, pharmaceuticals, paper, textile, oil well drilling and cosmetics. Carob bean gum is a galactomannan obtained from the seed endosperm of carob tree and the fiber is obtained by removing most of soluble carbohydrates in carob pulp by water extraction. Both the gum and fiber are beneficial to health for many diseases such as diabetes, bowel movements, heart disease and colon cancer. This article reviewed the composition, properties, food applications and health benefits of polysaccharides from carob fruit.

Abstract Following a request from European Commission, the EFSA Panel on Food Additives and Nutrient Sources added to Food (ANS) provides a scientific opinion re‐evaluating the safety of locust bean gum (E 410) as a food additive. Locust bean gum (E 410) is an authorised food additive in the EU. Locust bean gum (E 410) as specified in the Commission Regulation (EU) No 231/2012 is derived from the ground endosperm of the seeds of the strains of carob tree, Ceratonia siliqua (L.) Taub. (Family Leguminosae). An acceptable daily intake (ADI) ‘not specified’ was allocated by the Joint Food and Agriculture Organization/World Health Organization Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) in 1981. Although not evaluated by the Scientific Committee for Food (SCF), it was accepted by the SCF in 1991 for use in weaning food, and in 1994, in infant formulae for special medical purposes. Locust bean gum is practically undigested, not absorbed intact, but significantly fermented by enteric bacteria in humans. No adverse effects were reported in 90‐day toxicity and carcinogenicity studies in rodents at the highest doses tested and there was no concern with respect to the genotoxicity and to reproductive and developmental toxicity of locust bean gum (E 410). The Panel concluded that there is no need for a numerical ADI for locust bean gum (E 410), and that there is no safety concern for the general population at the refined exposure assessment for its reported uses as a food additive. However, infants and young children consuming foods for special medical purposes may show a higher susceptibility to gastrointestinal effects of locust bean gum due to their underlying medical condition. The Panel concluded that the available data do not allow an adequate assessment of the safety of locust bean gum (E 410) in these foods for infants and young children.