Pullulan polysaccharide is a water-soluble mucilaginous microbial polysaccharide produced by pure culture and fermentation of carbohydrates by Aureobasidium pullulans. Pullulan is non-toxic, safe, heat-resistant, salt-resistant, acid-alkali-resistant, has suitable viscosity and thermal stability, has strong plasticity, can be formed into a film, and has good gas barrier properties. It can improve physical properties, retain moisture, formability, and spinning properties, and be degraded and utilized by natural microorganisms without causing environmental pollution. Therefore, it has many uses in food, cosmetics, medicine, and other fields.
In the field of food application
pullulan as one of the four new food additive products of the Ministry of Health of my country, can be used as a coating agent and a thickener. And because the emulsion composed of pullulan and other hydrophobic substances has good film-forming properties, anti-oxidation, color preservation, fragrance preservation, and freshness preservation, it can also play a role in preserving the freshness of agricultural products such as fruits, vegetables, and eggs.
In the field of cosmetic applications
pullulan has prominent adhesion properties, easy to adhere to the skin surface, has good water solubility, dispersibility, film-forming, hygroscopicity, and non-toxicity, and can be used as adhesive in cosmetics. Sexual fillers can also play a moisturizing role. The effect is similar to that of sodium hyaluronate, and it is much cheaper than hyaluronic acid in terms of price. Pullulan is widely used in manufacturing perfume powder, lotion, facial masks, skin protectants, hair styling agents, and other products.
In pharmaceutical applications
pullulan can be used in pharmaceutical capsules instead of gelatin and HPMC. Because it has the best stability and is not easy to be changed by the external environment, the tablet is not quickly damped in a high humidity environment, the capsule is not easy to lose water in a dry climate, and the friability is not affected, which can prolong the storage period of the tablet. The transparency is comparable to that of animal capsules, the filling contents are visible, and the excellent odor covering ability can also protect the contents so that the pills can fully exert their efficacy. It does not contain animal ingredients; it is a natural vegetable capsule raw material.
Pullulan has been widely used for its many excellent characteristics, but it still has great economic value, development potential, and broad application prospects.
