Structural and technological characterization of ropy exopolysaccharides produced by strains isolated from .

Exopolysaccharide producing starter cultures enable manufacturing "clean labeled" foods with improved textural and nutritional properties. The structural and technological analyses were performed on the ropy exopolysaccharides of six The incubation temperature, time and pH affected the exopolysaccharide production and high exopolysaccharide was produced in the presence of sucrose and maltose. The viscosity of exopolysaccharide was high at acidic conditions except PFC311E that showed viscous at neutral pH. strains produced between 120 and 400 mg/L exopolysaccharide in which the highest was observed at PFC311. Exoploysaccharides were degraded over 300 °C except PFC311E that degraded at 295.7 °C. The NMR analyses revealed that the exopolysaccharides were synthesized by α1-6, α1-3 and α1-4 bonds with glucose, galactose and fructose moieties. In conclusion, PFC311 produced ropy exopolysaccharide with different structural, rheological and thermal properties and reveals potential to be used in food industry.