Microbial pullulan for food, biomedicine, cosmetic, and water treatment: a review

Most fossil fuel-derived polymers used for food packaging are non-biodegradable and induce pollution by microplastic, calling for safer material. Here we review microbial production and applications of pullulan, a unique biopolymer produced by fermentation of agro-residues, using a strain named Aureobasidium pullulan. Chemically modified pullulan is widely used in food, pharmaceuticals, biomedical, and cosmetics. Compared to conventional polymers, pullulan increases the tensile strength 6-37-folds and increases the bioadhesion time 72-120-folds. Pullulan has been recently produced from agro-based waste with yields as high as 58-69 g/L.

Automated summary

Most fossil fuel-derived polymers used for food packaging are non-biodegradable and cause pollution by microplastics. Pullulan, a unique biopolymer produced by microbial fermentation of agro-residues, is reviewed here for its production and applications. Chemically modified pullulan is widely used in food, pharmaceuticals, biomedical, and cosmetics, and it exhibits significantly higher tensile strength and bioadhesion time compared to conventional polymers.