• Home
    • About Us
      • History
      • Activities
      • Executive Board
      • EPNOE Junior
    • Facts About Polysaccharides
  • Research
    • Research Roadmap
    • Ongoing Projects
    • Scientific Journals and Books
  • Education
    • Skills Roadmap
  • Videos
    • EPNOE Talks
    • Lectures
    • Videos Members
    • Webinars
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • International Conferences
    • Junior Scientists Meetings
      • Junior Scientist Meetings 2022-2024
        • Junior Scientist Meeting 2022 – Abstract Submission
        • Junior Scientist Meeting 2022 – Practical Information
        • Junior Scientist Meeting 2022 – Program
    • Workshops
    • Summer Schools
    • Other Events
    • Bioeconomy Innovation
  • Membership
    • Membership Benefits
    • Our members
  • Jobs
    • Vacant Positions
  • News
    • News
    • Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Member Area
Menu
  • Home
    • About Us
      • History
      • Activities
      • Executive Board
      • EPNOE Junior
    • Facts About Polysaccharides
  • Research
    • Research Roadmap
    • Ongoing Projects
    • Scientific Journals and Books
  • Education
    • Skills Roadmap
  • Videos
    • EPNOE Talks
    • Lectures
    • Videos Members
    • Webinars
  • Events
    • Upcoming Events
    • International Conferences
    • Junior Scientists Meetings
      • Junior Scientist Meetings 2022-2024
        • Junior Scientist Meeting 2022 – Abstract Submission
        • Junior Scientist Meeting 2022 – Practical Information
        • Junior Scientist Meeting 2022 – Program
    • Workshops
    • Summer Schools
    • Other Events
    • Bioeconomy Innovation
  • Membership
    • Membership Benefits
    • Our members
  • Jobs
    • Vacant Positions
  • News
    • News
    • Newsletters
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Member Area
Search
Close

Facts about Polysaccharides

Polysaccharides fulfill numerous essential functions in living organisms, and serve important industrial and technological purposes.                             EPNOE aims to raise awareness about the relevance and potential benefits of polysaccharides in our society.

What Are Polysaccharides?

Polysacchrides are biopolymers made up of somewhere between a dozen to several thousand individual chemically connected sugar molecules. The individual linkage and the molecular structures of these sugars are very diverse and differ from polysaccharide to polysaccharide.

Bio-Resources

Polysaccharides, such as cellulose and starch, are sustainable and renewable bio-resources.

Researchers are studying new ways to obtain polysaccharides (from agricultural waste, for example) and turn them into functional biomaterials for various applications, ranging from every-day household items to highly functional biomedical devices.

 

Dietary Fiber

Even though complex polysaccharides are not very digestible, they provide important dietary elements for humans. Called dietary fiber, these carbohydrates enhance digestion, among other benefits.

Glycogen

Glycogen is a multi-branched polysaccharide that shares chemical resemblance to starch.

Animals, fungi, and bacteria use glycogen as a form of energy storage, very much like plants using starch. That is why glycogen is frequently referred to as “animal starch”.

Christmas Tree

Your Christmas tree consists of approximately 100 septillion chains of cellulose. In theory, from the textile fibers you could get from it, you can make over 50 t-shirts.

Pectin

Pectin is most commonly known for being a key ingredient that gives jam its jelly-like texture. The molecular structure of this polysaccharide is more complex and diverse than that of DNA, the molecule that stores the genetic code of life.

Cellulose, Starch, and Dextran

Cellulose (found in wood), starch (found in flour), and dextran (found in dental plaque) all consist of chemically linked glucose molecules. Yet they greatly differ in their physical, chemical, and biological properties. Their main difference lies in the nature of the chemical bond between these small sugar molecules.

Beer-Making

In the brewing process, amylose and amylopectin, two of the major polysaccharides in cereals, are converted to fermentable sugars by natural enzymes.This is the basis for beer-making.

Cellulose in Bacteria and Marine Animals

Cellulose, the most abundant organic molecule on Earth, is mostly associated with plants, namely trees.

However, this polysaccharide is also produced by some bacteria and marine animals, such as tunicates.

Dental Caries

Bacteria of dental caries use sugar molecules to produce a biofilm of the polysaccharide dextran on the tooth surface. This facilitates bacterial growth, leading to dental plaque formation and ultimately to tooth decay.

Carboxymethyl

Carboxymethyl cellulose is the result of the chemical modification of cellulose.

It is employed as additive in many day-to-day items, such as toothpaste and wallpaper paste. However, it is also essential for the manufacture of pharmaceutical tablets and Li-ion batteries for electric cars.

The First-Human Made Plastic

The first human-made plastic was made of cellulose as raw material. This plastic was not obtained from fossil fuels but from the chemical modification of cellulose: nitrocellulose

This highly flammable compound has been used in film and explosives. Nowadays, nitrocellulose is a key component in most lacquers and in rapid-test strips, including those for pregnancy and COVID-19.

Cotton

Cotton is a highly pure form of cellulose. However, the increasing demand for human-made fibers in clothing cannot be met by cotton, which is why polysaccharides scientists are continuously working on new ways to turn cellulosic resources into sustainable fibers.

Native Starch

Starch is formed in plants and used as an energy storage.

Native starch is actually a mixture of two polysaccharides that are both composed of glucose molecules: amylose and amylopectin.

The ratio of these two polysaccharides varies according to the botanical origin of the starch.

Strength of Crystalline Cellulose

Cellulose is the major chemical component of cotton fabrics (>90%)

Interestingly, the mechanical strength of crystalline cellulose can be higher than that of most metals and ceramics.

Applications of Starch

Starch is used in a wide range of applications.

In food industry, it is used in brewing and as thickening agent in baked goods.

In paper industry, it improves the strength and surface properties of paper and paper board.

In textile industry, it is used to reinforce the threads during weaving.

In materials science, it is used as filler in composites.

Cellulose in Cosmetics

Cellulose is popular in cosmetics.

It is used as a support material for sheet facial masks, in natural scrubs, and as an additive in personal care formulations.

The Glue on Envelopes

The glue on the back of postage stamps and on envelopes is formed with water. Interestingly, this would not be possible without the polysaccharide dextrin.

Derived from starch, dextrin is one of the main components of that glue.

Hyaluronicacid

Originally extracted from roosters’ comb, hyaluronicacid is commonly known for being an active ingredient in skin care products, and it is often used for medical applications.

This polysaccharide also plays a key role in the wound repair process.

Cellophane

Cellophane, the transparent film used, among other things, for cookie packaging is made of the polysaccharide ‘cellulose’.

But how? The cellulose is dissolved during the so called ‘viscose process’. Then, by pressing the cellulose solution through a thin slit into a regeneration bath, the cellophane film is obtained.

Arabinoxylan

Arabinoxylan is a naturally occurring polysaccharide that can be found in cereals, like rye.

Interestingly, under sour conditions, arabinoxylan molecules form a strong 3D-network that contributes to the volume and stability of sour dough bread.

Paper

Paper is a complex material that contains polysaccharides as major components, including cellulose, hemicellulose, and starch.

Cellulose fibers create the paper network, while starch mainly acts as internal and surface sizing agent, and boosts mechanical strength and hydrophobicity.

Xylitol

Xylitol is an artificial sweetener that is often used as a sugar substitute. It obtained through the chemical synthesis of polysaccharides (more precisely the hemicellulose xylan) isolated from wood.

Artificial Polysaccharides

Huge quantities of polysaccharides are produced in nature. However, chemists have developed procedures to synthesize small amounts in the lab too.

These artificial compounds possess very well defined structures, and are used as models: they are employed to study the behaviour of native polysaccharides in their complex environment.

Why Can Cows Digest Grass?

Humans are not capable to digest the polysaccharide cellulose: a major component in grasses and annual plants.

Ruminants like cows, however, possess a combination of bacteria, fungi, and protozoa in their stomach that enables them to degrade the biopolymer into smaller sugar molecules and use it as energy source.

Polysaccharides Obtained Through Biotechnological Fermentation

Polysaccharides can be obtained through biotechnological fermentation processes using microorganisms that can build these large biopolymers from small sugar molecules.

One advantage of this approach over a more classical production through forestry and agricultural is that it does not compete directly with food and feed.

Lyocell

Some of our clothes are made of Lyocell. Lyocell, which was originally trademarked as “Tencel”, is a regenerated cellulose fiber made by dissolving pulp in special solvents followed by the so called ”dry-jet-wet spinning”.

Polysaccharide researchers are constantly exploring new ways to make this process more sustainable and affordable.

Chitin

Chitin is a structural polysaccharide found in the cell walls of some fungi, as well as in the exoskeletons of insects and crustaceans.

Gellan Gum

Gellan Gum is a food additive that serves various functions such as binding, stabilising, and texturising food products.
It is produced by the bacterium Sphingomonas Elodea through fermentation of sugar.

Bacterial Cellulose

Cellulose is primarily known for being the major component in wood. However, it is also produced by certain bacteria through the fermentation of glucose. Due to the high water content of the material, bacterial cellulose is of great interest for medical applications, and it is also marketed as a jelly-like food product.

Agar

Agar is a substance derived from various species of red algae.
With its natural talent for creating gels, it plays a pivotal role in both food, serving as a plant-based thickener as well as a vegan-friendly alternative to gelatin, and in biotechnology applications, where it nurtures cell cultures and facilitates gel electrophoresis.

Chemically speaking, it’s a blend of two polysaccharides: agaropectin and agarose. The latter is the actual gel-forming component, which makes it a fascinating compound for polymer researchers.

Guar Gum

Guar Gum enhances the texture and stability of food products. This polysaccharide is an excellent thickener and stabilizer, and it can prevent the formation of ice crystals, for example in ice cream.

About EPNOE

The European Polysaccharide Network of Excellence is a non-profit Association promoting research, education, and knowledge-transfer between academia, industry, and civil society, in all fields related to polysaccharides science and technology.

 

Join EPNOE

Our organization provides consulting, ideas, and resources for people working to create meaningful change.

Contact

EPNOE Association
Department of Chemical Engineering
KU Leuven
Celestijnenlaan 200F bus 2424
Leuven Chem&Tech -3rd Floor
Office: 03.113
B-3001 Leuven, Heverlee
Belgium
contact@epnoe.eu

 
Facebook Youtube Linkedin Twitter

© All rights reserved EPNOE Association 2019 - Privacy Statement

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT