title: Advances in production and simplified methods for recovery and quantification of exopolysaccharides for applications in food and health.
abstract: The capacity of strains to produce exopolysaccharides (EPS) is widespread among species of lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria, although the physiological role of these molecules is not yet clearly understood. When EPS are produced during food fermentation, they confer technological benefits on the fermented end products, such as improved texture and stability. In addition, some of these EPS may have beneficial effects on consumer health. These uses of EPS necessitate optimal and sufficient production of these molecules, both in situ and ex situ, not only to improve their yields but also to obtain a particular functionality. The present study reviews the commonly used methods of production, isolation, and quantification that have been used in recent studies dealing with EPS-producing lactic acid bacteria and bifidobacteria.
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Frédéric
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Leroy
authors.affiliation: Research Group of Industrial Microbiology and Food Biotechnology (IMDO), Faculty of Sciences and Bioengineering Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium. Electronic address: ldvuyst@vub.ac.be.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Vuyst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001644:Bifidobacterium / Q000378:metabolism*; D005285:Fermentation; D005502:Food; D005516:Food Microbiology; D006293:Health Promotion; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000378:metabolism*; D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial / Q000032:analysis / Q000096:biosynthesis*
chemical_list: D011135:Polysaccharides, Bacterial
keywords: bifidobacteria; exopolysaccharides; isolation; lactic acid bacteria