Neo-amylose

Neo-amylose is an unbranched water insoluble poly-l,4-a-D-glucan with a chain length of up to 35-100 glucose units (Fig. 14). It is analogous to amylose but... 

Fig. 14 Formation of Neo-amylose and dextran by action of glycosyltransferase on sucrose...

Neo-amylose is suited for food and non-food applications. Due to its resistant starch properties it is suited for use as dietary fiber [139]. Beside this food application, smooth spherical microparticles with a size of 10-100 pm are accessible by recrystaUization of Neo-amylose in dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO). These are suited as cosmetics additive in creams, lotions, or as UV-reflectors [140]. Furthermore, Neo-amylose has proved to be an advantageous constituent in hard or soft films in order to generate gelatin free capsules [139]. 

Oligofructose, Inulin and Levan, Amylose (Neo-Amylose ) and Dextran... 

All these oligo- and polysaccharides in nature are synthesized in vivo) via sucrose. Technical synthesis (in vitro) found industrial practices mainly for oligofructose, Neo-amylose and dextran following the reaction pathways as outlined in Figure 9.3.7. 

This fructosyltransferase and the related fructan is interesting for many possible applications. Only based on sucrose as raw material high molecular weight inulin, preferably without branches similar to plant inulin, can be produced in aqueous solution. Scale-up is the same as the production design for dextran or neo-amylose. The utilization of the simultaneously formed glucose as food, feed or fermentation medium should be no problem. 

Applications. Neo-amylose can be used for both food as well as non-food applications. As already mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, crystalline Neo-amylose cannot be hydrolyzed by human pancreatic a-amylases. After consumption by human beings, as much as 90% of the heat-moisture treated polymer is transferred into the large bowel and is fermented by colonic bacteria to form short-chain fatty acids such as acetate, propionate and butyrate. 

Besides the application as dietary fibre, Neo-amylose can be used for the production of smooth particles with a size of 10-100 pm by re-crystallization in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). The application of these particles as a supplement to cosmetics such as creams, lotions or as UV-reflector has been described in WO 0038623. " Further hard or soft films can be produced from Neo-amylose in order to generate gelatine-free capsules for encapsulation purposes. ... 

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