The modification discussed include the acetylation of cashew gum with acetic anhydride in the presence of sodium hydroxide. The resulting product was characterized by FTIR spectroscopy. Physicochemical characteristics such as solubility, viscosity and swelling index of the native cashew gum and acetylated cashew gum were also determined. The results showed that the acetylated gum had higher values of solubility, viscosity and swelling index as 113.40% at 80oC, 53.4cs and 49.54% respectively while the native gum had solubility viscosity and swelling index as 50.10% at 80oC,
20.20cs and 10.94% respectively. Chemical modification via acetylation increased the solubility, viscosity and swelling index of cashew gum. The experimental work provides enough evidence to exploit this natural biopolymer in food, textile and pharmaceutical industry, especially as an efficient alternative approach for the oral delivery of hydrophilic macromolecules.