Tamarind kernel powder (TKP) is made from the seeds of the tamarind fruit. The seeds are roasted or heated, the hard brown seed coat is removed, and the white kernel is ground into a powder. Its main users are textile, jute and paper mills, which use it for sizing and as a thickener, with smaller food and other uses.
TKP is a by-product of the tamarind pulp trade. India is a major source because it grows and processes large quantities of tamarind.
Where it comes from
Tamarind trees grow widely in southern and central India, and the pulp is a common food ingredient. After the pulp is removed, the seeds are collected and sold to processors. Seed collection is spread across many small traders, and TKP processing is done in several states, including in Gujarat and the south.
The kernel contains a polysaccharide often described as tamarind seed polysaccharide or tamarind xyloglucan. It forms a viscous solution and a gel with sugar, which explains most of its uses.
Supply of seed follows the tamarind pulp season and the volume of fruit processed, so availability and price can shift from year to year. Ask suppliers about their seed stocks before you commit to a long contract.
Who uses TKP
- Textile mills: as a sizing agent for cotton and jute yarns, and as a thickener in printing pastes.
- Jute industry: for sizing and finishing jute goods.
- Paper industry: as a surface and wet-end additive.
- Adhesives and other industrial uses, including some binders.
- Food and related uses: refined grades are used as thickeners or gelling agents in some markets.
- Animal feed and other low-grade uses for off-spec fractions.
Food use depends on your market
Tamarind seed polysaccharide is used as a food additive in some countries, notably in parts of Asia. It is not one of the familiar E-number thickeners in the EU, so food use there may not be allowed. Check its status with your food authority before you plan a food product.
If you are buying for food, the grade, processing and testing are quite different from textile TKP. This is covered in the difference between food-grade and textile-grade TKP.
What buyers usually specify
All limits are for you and your supplier to agree. They depend on the grade and use. Guar gum is the main alternative in many of these applications, as described in what guar gum is, and where it is produced in India.
- Appearance and colour, since darker powder suggests seed coat left in.
- Moisture, ash and acid-insoluble ash.
- Viscosity at a stated concentration and method.
- Mesh or particle size.
- pH and, for some uses, protein or oil content.
- For food: microbiology, aflatoxin, pesticide residues and heavy metals.
How we help
We locate TKP processors who mill in-house, check how they remove the seed coat and test samples at an NABL-accredited lab against your spec. Start with a free sourcing review.