#polysaccharides

Re-inventing the cheese wheel: Researchers work on optimizing plant-based dairy

Chemical engineers at UNSW Sydney have created a plant-based cheese that melts, stretches and browns under the grill like the real thing, paving the way for more realistic dairy and meat alternatives that blend plant proteins with complex carbohydrates. "Colors and flavors are the easy part," says Professor Cordelia Selomulya, who has been working on plant-based food textures at UNSW since 2019. "But replicating the structure—that pull of melted cheese, or the juicy mouthfeel of meat—is the real challenge." While plant-based alternatives have been on the market for many years, some of today's products still fall short as they behave strangely under heat, fail to effectively deliver the nutrition promised on the label—including sufficient protein—and simply lack the sensory properties of dairy-based products.

New biomaterial could replace plastic laminates, greatly reduce pollution

An inexpensive biomaterial that can be used to sustainably replace plastic barrier coatings in packaging and many other applications has been developed by Penn State researchers, who predict its adoption would greatly reduce pollution.

Completely compostable, the material—a polysaccharide polyelectrolyte complex—is comprised of nearly equal parts of treated cellulose pulp from wood or cotton, and chitosan, which is derived from chitin—the primary ingredient in the exoskeletons of arthropods and crustaceans. The main source of chitin is the mountains of leftover shells from lobsters, crabs and shrimp consumed by humans.

These environmentally friendly barrier coatings have numerous applications ranging from water-resistant paper, to coatings for ceiling tiles and wallboard, to food coatings to seal in freshness, according to lead researcher Jeffrey Catchmark, professor of agricultural and biological engineering, College of Agricultural Sciences.

"The material's unexpected strong, insoluble adhesive properties are useful for packaging as well as other applications, such as better performing, fully natural wood-fiber composites for construction and even flooring," he said. "And the technology has the potential to be incorporated into foods to reduce fat uptake during frying and maintain crispness. Since the coating is essentially fiber-based, it is a means of adding fiber to diets."

Using inulin as a key case study, Dr. Petrovsky discusses the integration of advanced research tools, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to solve complex polysaccharide structures.

Presentation Highlights:

Chemistry and properties of polysaccharides in pharmaceutical applications.

Advanced research tools specifically designed for polysaccharide analysis.

Solving polysaccharide structures using AI – a breakthrough in structural biology.

The pharmaceutical utility and future of polysaccharide-based therapeutics.