Food polysaccharides: A review on emerging microbial sources, bioactivities, nanoformulations and safety considerations

The ubiquity, low cost and biocompatibility make polysaccharides a material of choice in food, pharmaceutical, cosmeceutical, textile and paper industries. From the age-old process of pectin addition in jams to the latest developments of bio-nanocomposites with polysaccharides in biosensing, developments in applications of polysaccharides and their derivatives have gone hand-in-hand with the technological progress. This review gives an overview on the recent advances in the use of microbial exopolysaccharides, polysaccharide modifications, conjugation with non-polysaccharide biomolecules, their applications in nutraceutical/drug delivery and their therapeutic potential along with gelled matrices, nanotechnology and packaging advances. The safety, toxicity and potential biological activities such as immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anticancer, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic and prebiotic have been thoroughly reviewed. The ability of polysaccharides and their derivatives in their nano forms coupled with their unique physicochemical properties has been exploited innovatively by researchers globally for applications such as delivery systems for drugs/nutraceuticals/phytochemicals among many others which are also discussed.

Automated summary

The ubiquity, low cost, and biocompatibility of polysaccharides have made them a preferred material in various industries such as food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile, and paper. Recent advances in the use of microbial exopolysaccharides, polysaccharide modifications, conjugation with non-polysaccharide biomolecules, and their applications in nutraceutical/drug delivery have been discussed in this review. Safety, toxicity, and potential biological activities of polysaccharides have been thoroughly reviewed, including immunomodulatory, antioxidant, anticancer, hypocholesterolemic, hypoglycemic, and prebiotic properties. The innovative applications of polysaccharides and their nano forms in drug/nutraceutical/phytochemical delivery systems have also been explored.