Structural Characterization of Glucan Produced by Lactobacillus sake L-7 from Sausage

A linear glucan was produced by Lactobacillus sake L-7 isolated from homemade sausage. Cultivation of the strain in Man–Rogosa–Sharpe(MRS) medium containing 50 g/L sucrose yielded 5.3 g/L of purified exopolysaccharide(EPS). The EPS was characterized by gas chromatography(GC), Fourier-transform infrared(FT-IR) spectroscopy, high-performance sizeexclusion chromatography(HPSEC), nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR) spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy(SEM). The monosaccharide composition of the EPS was glucose, and its molecular weight was 1 × 10~7 Da. The FT-IR and NMR spectra revealed that the L-7 EPS was a linear glucan with α-(1 → 6) glucosidic bonds. SEM images of the dried EPS revealed a hollow tubular structure. The water solubility index and water holding capacity of L-7 EPS were 96 and 272%, respectively. The results of hydrolysis indicated that L-7 EPS was not susceptible to hydrolysis by physiological barriers and can be used as a soluble dietary fiber with health benefits. All these characteristics suggest that L-7 EPS might have potential applications in the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Production of Pectinolytic Enzymes by Two Bacillus spp. Strains and Their Application in Flax Degumming

This study demonstrated that Bacillus licheniformis HDYM-03 and Bacillus megaterium HDYM-09, isolated from a liquid sample of fl ax retting pool, were able to produce pectinolytic enzymes using polysaccharides as substrates. Bacillus megaterium HDYM-09 produced pectin lyase that exhibited the highest activity of 2116.71 ± 11.55 U/mL. Bacillus licheniformis HDYM-03 produced pectate lyase that exhibited the highest activity of 611.21 ± 14.54 U/mL. Based on these fi ndings, we constructed four retting systems to degrade the pectin substance. The results showed that the content of galacturonic acid in the mixed system was 529.21 μg/mL, the content of reducing sugar was 98.14 mg/mL, and the weight loss ratio of cells reached 19.49%, which were signifi cantly higher than those in other systems. The mixed system has more advantages, and the utilization rate of degumming was higher, which further ensured that the degumming can be carried out effi ciently and quickly. The mixed system exhibits feasible applications in the fi ber and textile industry.

Isolation, Purification, and Characterization of Exopolysaccharide Produced by Leuconostoc Citreum N21 from Dried Milk Cake

A strain with high production of exopolysaccharide(EPS) was isolated from dried milk cake(a traditional fermented food from Inner Mongolia). The strain was called N21 and later identified as Leuconostoc citreum( Leu. citreum). The strain was cultured in Man-Rogosa-Sharpe medium containing 50 g/L of sucrose for 48 h at 30 °C and the EPS purified, with a yield of 24.5 g/L. An average molecular weight of 6.07 × 10~6 g/mol was determined by high-performance size-exclusion chromatography. The structure of the purified EPS was investigated through gas chromatography, ~1H and ^(13)C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The results demonstrated a polysaccharide composed of D-glucopyranose units in a linear chain with consecutive α(1 → 6) linkages. No branching was found in the structure of the exopolysaccharide. The purified EPS showed high water solubility and emulsibility. Based on the thermogravimetric curve, the degradation temperature of the EPS was 308.47 °C, which suggested that the dextran in the study exhibited high thermal stability. The results indicated that Leu. citreum N21 could be widely used to produce linear EPS and that the EPS has potential applications in food science and processing as a food additive.