Exploring the Structure, Physicochemical Properties, and Food Applications of Polysaccharides

A special issue of Foods (ISSN 2304-8158). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Physics and (Bio)Chemistry".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (5 July 2024) | Viewed by 7369

Special Issue Editors

College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: polysaccharides; food colloids and interfaces; food oral processing
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Guest Editor
College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China
Interests: polysaccharides; food chemistry; hydrogel

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Polysaccharides are the most common form of natural carbohydrates and can have either a branched or linear molecular structure. Linear compounds tend to group together to create a rigid structure, while branched forms are usually soluble in water and can form pastes. Polysaccharides have been widely investigated and are resourced from various plant and muscle tissues, as well as microorganisms. Polysaccharides, mostly hydrophilic, can exhibit considerable heterogeneity, with minor variations in their repeating units. These large molecules possess unique characteristics compared to their individual monosaccharide components.

Polysaccharides serve as vital biological polymers with significant functions in living organisms. They mainly contribute either to the structure (like cellulose, chitin, and pectins) or the storage of various compounds (like starch, glycogen, and inulin). There is another group of polysaccharides secreted from microorganisms, such as bacteria, fungi, and algae. Those biopolymers facilitate surface adhesion and protect against dehydration, such as xanthan gum, dextran, welan gum, gellan gum, diutan gum, and pullulan. In recent years, there have been increasing concerns regarding the interactions between polysaccharides and other components, such as proteins, lipids, and small bioactive molecules.

This Special Issue of Foods mainly focuses on the structure, physicochemical properties, and food applications of polysaccharides. 

Dr. Ruojun Mu
Prof. Dr. Jie Pang
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • polysaccharides
  • carbohydrates
  • gums
  • emulsions
  • hydrogels
  • delivery systems
  • food preservations
  • micro-/nanofibers
  • modifications
  • interactions

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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Review

21 pages, 1754 KiB  
Review
A Review of Ganoderma lucidum Polysaccharide: Preparations, Structures, Physicochemical Properties and Application
by Yuanbo Zhong, Pingping Tan, Huanglong Lin, Di Zhang, Xianrui Chen, Jie Pang and Ruojun Mu
Foods 2024, 13(17), 2665; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13172665 - 24 Aug 2024
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 4919
Abstract
Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is a kind of edible fungus with various functions and a precious medicinal material with a long history. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) is one of the main bioactive substances in GL, with anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-cancer, and other biological activities. GLP [...] Read more.
Ganoderma lucidum (GL) is a kind of edible fungus with various functions and a precious medicinal material with a long history. Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide (GLP) is one of the main bioactive substances in GL, with anti-tumor, anti-oxidation, anti-cancer, and other biological activities. GLP is closely related to human health, and the research on GLP is getting deeper. This paper reviewed the extraction and purification methods of GLP, the relationship between structure and activity, and the qualitative and quantitative methods. This review provides solutions for the analysis and application of GLP. At the same time, some new methods for extraction, purification and analysis of GLP, the relationship between advanced structures and activity, and future applications of and research into GLP were emphasized. As a kind of bioactive macromolecule, GLP has unique functional properties. Through the comprehensive summary of the extraction, purification, and analysis of GLP and its future prospects, we hope that this review can provide valuable reference for the further study of GLP. Full article
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22 pages, 819 KiB  
Review
Cereal-Derived Water-Unextractable Arabinoxylans: Structure Feature, Effects on Baking Products and Human Health
by Manchun Huang, Juan Bai, Daniele Giuseppe Buccato, Jiayan Zhang, Yufeng He, Ying Zhu, Zihan Yang, Xiang Xiao and Maria Daglia
Foods 2024, 13(15), 2369; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13152369 - 26 Jul 2024
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1724
Abstract
Arabinoxylans (AXs) are non-starch polysaccharides with complex structures naturally occurring in grains (i.e., barley, corn, and others), providing many health benefits, especially as prebiotics. AXs can be classified as water-extractable (WEAX) and water-unextractable (WUAX) based on their solubility, with properties influenced by grain [...] Read more.
Arabinoxylans (AXs) are non-starch polysaccharides with complex structures naturally occurring in grains (i.e., barley, corn, and others), providing many health benefits, especially as prebiotics. AXs can be classified as water-extractable (WEAX) and water-unextractable (WUAX) based on their solubility, with properties influenced by grain sources and extraction methods. Numerous studies show that AXs exert an important health impact, including glucose and lipid metabolism regulation and immune system enhancement, which is induced by the interactions between AXs and the gut microbiota. Recent research underscores the dependence of AX physiological effects on structure, advocating for a deeper understanding of structure-activity relationships. While systematic studies on WEAX are prevalent, knowledge gaps persist regarding WUAX, despite its higher grain abundance. Thus, this review reports recent data on WUAX structural properties (chemical structure, branching, and MW) in cereals under different treatments. It discusses WUAX applications in baking and the benefits deriving from gut fermentation. Full article
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