Response surface was used to evaluate the significance of time-temperature treatments on gum acacia solutions with respect to the stability of gum acacia-based dilute beverage emulsions. Treatments ranked from a minimum of pasteurization (30 min at 62.5degreesC) to a maximum just before inducing protein precipitation from the gum (90 min at 100degreesC). Heat treatment improved emulsion stability to a greater extent in Acacia seyal than Acacia senegal samples, with optimum values around 80degreesC and 60 min for both species. Response surface was statistically significant in Seyal but not in Senegal. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.