Macromolecular Model of the Pectic Polysaccharides Isolated from the Bark of Norway Spruce ().

The bark of Norway spruce () contains up to 13% pectins that can be extracted by pressurized hot water, which constitute a valuable renewable resource in second-generation lignocellulosic biorefineries. This article proposes, for the first time, structural molecular models for the pectins present in spruce bark. Pectin fractions of tailored molar masses were obtained by fractionation of the pressurized hot water extract of the inner bark using preparative size-exclusion chromatography.

Isolation and characterization of cellulose nanocrystals from spruce bark in a biorefinery perspective.

The present study reports for the first time the isolation of cellulose fibers and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) from the bark of Norway spruce. The upgrading of bark cellulose to value-added products, such as CNCs, is part of the "bark biorefinery" concept. The removal of non-cellulosic constituents was monitored throughout the isolation process by detailed chemical composition analyses.

Hot-water extracts from the inner bark of Norway spruce with immunomodulating activities.

The inner bark of Norway spruce (Picea abies) was sequentially extracted with hot water at 100°C, 140°C and 160°C. The hot-water extracts (IB 100°C, IB 140°C and IB 160°C) contained pectic polysaccharides and showed immunostimulating activities. Structural analyses of their carbohydrate content, including glycosidic linkage analyses, revealed the presence of pectins with a large rhamnogalacturonan RG-I domain ramified with highly-branched arabinans.