Scleroglucan and Schizophyllan: Microbial Polysaccharides of Functional Importance

Abstract

Microbial exopolysaccharides, particularly scleroglucan and schizophyllan, have shown outstanding potential for use in food and medical/pharmaceutical industries. Scleroglucan and schizophyllan are obtained from fungal sources and their exclusive physico-chemical attributes offer a wide range of applications as stabilizers, gelling agents, thickeners, carriers of nutraceuticals, drugs and other bioactive compounds, prebiotics, immunostimulants, immunomodulators, antimicrobial and antiviral agents, hypoglycemic and hypocholesterolemic substances, and excipients. Additionally, several potential applications of these exopolysaccharides are yet to be explored for the development of functional foods and commercial pharmaceuticals. This chapter provides a comprehensive overview about the structural description, sources, physicochemical properties, production, isolation, and recovery of scleroglucan and schizophyllan. Moreover, potential applications of these exopolysaccharides for the development of functional foods, edible coatings and delivery systems for drugs, nutraceuticals, and bioactive substances have been discussed in detail. Furthermore, various healthpromoting aspects of scleroglucan and schizophyllan in controlling lifestylerelated disorders (hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia) have also been conversed in this treatise. Keywords Microbial exopolysaccharides, Scleroglucan, Schizophyllan, Biomedical applications, Functional foods Keywords Microbial exopolysaccharides, Scleroglucan, Schizophyllan, Biomedical applications, Functional foods