Plant gums, biosynthesis

It therefore seems possible that the biosynthesis of plant gums and mucilages follows a mechanism similar to that of bacterial exopolysaccharides. Experimental evidence should be obtained for plant systems in order to test this hypothesis. 

Interest in the genetic engineering of both plants and micro-organisms for the production of tailor made amylose, amylopectin and/or starches has also been reported. Furthermore, investigations on the enzymatic modification of starch and its major components, for example the introduction of additional branches composed of glucose and/or other monosaccharides and/or uronic acids as well as amino acids or peptides, to produce carbohydrates of possibly comparable functionality to galactomannans, pectin, gum arable, etc., has been initiated. Also studies on the metabolic fate of carbohydrates in food, the biosynthesis of starch, the fine structure of starch from different sources, the effect of electrolytes on the gelatinization of starch and the development of enzymic methods for starch analyses are still active. 

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