Polysaccharides food applications

For reasons that are probably unrelated to their technical performance, these covalent protein-polysaccharide conjugates have not yet been used commercially in food systems. But it seems that it is only a matter of time before the impressive potential of these highly functional ingredients becomes exploited on a commercial scale in various food applications — not just for emulsification, but also for foaming, gelation, waterholding, and encapsulation. 

Although most seeds contain starch as the principal food reserve, many contain other polysaccharides and some have industrial utility. The first seed gums used commercially were quince, psyllium, flax, and locust bean gum. However, only locust bean gum is still used, particularly in food applications quince and psyllium gums are only used in specialized applications. 

Nantes was chosen as the location because of its INRA Research Centre, which is renowned for its basic and applied research on plant biopolymers, starch, proteins and cell wall polysaccharides. The main objectives of the Nantes Centre in Plant Science first of all concerns the biosynthesis of macromolecules and assemblies in planta, secondly their structural characteristics and related physico-chemical and functional properties, and thirdly with their behaviour in multiphasic systems in relation to end-uses in food and non-food applications. In addition, human nutrition is also considered. 

Modified polysaccharide biopolymers have found applications from permselective membranes to ionically conductive membranes for fuel cells. In this review, ionically selective membranes in particular will be explored. Recent studies and advances in using modified polysaccharides for food applications will also be reviewed with specific attention given to their potential uses in the development of active food packaging solutions, which include antimicrobial systems, coatings and bioactive compound delivery systems. 

Although there are various materials available for encapsulation and so as technologies, the challenges do exist concerning the selection of appropriate microencapsulation technique and encapsulation material. The cost consideration of materials for food applications need to be taken into account unlike the pharmaceutical industry, which can tolerate high costs. The majority of materials used for microencapsulation in the food sector are bio-based materials such as carbohydrate polymers (polysaccharides), proteins, lipids, etc. 

Stanley FN (2006) Agars in food polysaccharides their applications. CRC, Boca Raton, pp 217-238... 

See also Atomic Absorption Spectrometry Flame. Atomic Emission Spectrometry Flame Photometry. Carbohydrates Starch Dietary Fiber Measured as Nonstarch Polysaccharides in Plant Foods. Chiroptical Analysis. Essential Oils. Ethanol. Food and Nutritional Analysis Antioxidants and Preservatives Contaminants. Isotope Ratio Measurements. Liquid Chromatography Food Applications. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy Appiications Food. Optical Spectroscopy Refractometry and Reflectometry. Pesticides. Sampiing Theory. Vitamins Fat-Soluble Water-Soluble. Water Determination. 

Polysaccharides such as starch, cellulose and chitin, are interesting renewable resources for non-food applications. Indeed, as they are obtained from biomass, they are available in large quantities, renewable and biodegradable and have a low cost. Among the huge amount of different polysaccharides available, the most significant polysaccharides are starch, cellulose and chitin. 

Although less studied than polysaccharides, proteins have been traditionally used as raw materials in a wide range of non-food applications such as adhesives, glues, paints, textile fibers, paper coatings, and various molded plastic items. Proteins can be classified according to their shape and solubility as fibrous, globular, or membrane proteins, and among their possible source are included plants, animals, and bacteria [168]. 

Fungi and bacteria are sources of polysaccharides and especially of exopolysaccharides which can be produced in culture media on an industrial scale. They are a source of new additives for cosmetic or food applications but also for biological activity. Many of them are now in development a review will be published in the second edition of Reference 12. Many of these polysaccharides are water soluble and able to compete with natural polysaccharides as described before (alginates, carrageenans, galacto- and glucomannans, chitosans, pectins, etc) especially in the domain of food additives. Many books discuss their applications (183-187). 

They can be employed in medical, packing, paper, food, mechanical engineering, textile, electronic and other applications. The composites were evaluated for crystallinity, rheology absorptivity, biodegradabiUty and mechanical, gelling, pasting, filmforming, adhesive, antimicrobial properties, optical, separation, as well as water repellency, dye uptake, water vapor permeability, and flre-retardancy. In addition to food applications, composites based on more than two types of polysaccharides have rarely been used and many possible combinations remain unexplored (Table 6.3). 

M.B. Nieto, Structure and function of polysaccharide gum-based edible films and coatings, in K.G. Huber, and M.E. Embuscado, eds.. Edible Films and Coatings for Food Applications, Springer New York, pp. 57-112,2009. 

---