Polysaccharides homopolysaccharide starch

The polysaccharides obtained from higher plants may be classified as homopolysaccharides (starch and cellulose) made up of a large number of monosaccharides of the same type, and heteropolysaccharides (mucilage, gum and pectin) made up of a large number of monosaccharides of different types. 

Homopolysaccharides have a single type of residue. Most common polysaccharides contain glucose which is used for energy (food), storage (starches and glycogen) and structure (cellulose). 

Structural Polysaccharides Structural (fibrous) components are found in cell walls of plants and are represented by the linear p (1—4)-linked homopolysaccharides (a) cellulose, (b) chitin, (c) xylan, (d) mannan (10.20). Of these, cellulose is by far the most universally abundant and the most important. Starch (10.20e) derivatives are important in food technology (Chapter 12.4). 

Polysaccharides contain thousands of covalently linked monosaccharides. Those with only one type of monosaccharide subunit are called homopolysaccharides. Examples include starch and cellulose made by plants. Hydrolysis of the homopolysaccharide cellulose yields only glucose. Glycogen, sometimes called animal starch, is another homopolysaccharide of glucose. Polysaccharides with more than one type of monosaccharide are called heteropolysaccharides. 

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