Exopolysaccharides in Food Processing Industrials

Microbial exopolysaccharides are a class of extracellular carbohydrates based on biopolymeric materials produced and secreted by bacteria, yeast, molds, and microalgae. Cellulose, pullulan, xanthan gum, dextran, kefiran, curdlan, emulsan, alginate, gellan, carrageenans, hyaluronic acid, levan, colanic acid, welan, glucuronides, succinoglycans, and mutan are the exopolysaccharides (EPSs) of different microbial origin. Most of the available EPSs are non-toxic, biocompatible, biodegradable, and obtain from renewable resources. Microbial EPSs display unique functional properties due to their nature and structural composition. The demand for natural microbial EPSs utilization in the food industry due to their unique properties, including emulsifier, gelling agent, and stabilizers. Microbial EPSs and their derivatives have found a wide range of applications in food systems, including fermented dairy products, bakery products, cereal-based products, beverages, delivery of active agents, coatings, and films. This chapter will present a comprehensive overview of the recent developments of EPSs and their potential utilization in the food industry.