Research and production of microbial polymers for food industry

Abstract

Microbial polymers, also referred to as biopolymers, have been used in various applications in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, and other industries. In food industry, the controlled microbial fermentation has allowed the use of these significant components as thickening, coating, packaging, stabilizing, or gelling ingredients. As an additive, these substances can serve as an antimicrobial, preservative, antioxidant, sweetener material and can be used to improve properties of modern functional food. Over the past decades, these natural polymers have garnered increased interest due to their nontoxic, eco-friendly, biodegradable, and modifiable features, along with decreased production costs. This chapter describes the biosynthesis and production of most widely used microbial polymers, including levan, dextran, pullulan alginate, curdlan, PHA, scleroglucan, and xanthan, with their most important applications in food industry. © 2023 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.