Analysis of glycans in a Burnt-on/Baked-on (BoBo) model food soil using Microarray Polymer Profiling (MAPP) and immunofluorescence microscopy

Abstract

Burning of food materials during cooking can increase the difficulty in removal from solid surfaces, forming residual food soils. Using molecular probe-based technologies, the aim of this work was to elucidate the composition and relative abundance of glycans within a Burnt-On/Baked-On (BoBo) model food soil and investigate enzyme systems that may facilitate soil breakdown. Microarray Polymer Profiling identified xylan, arabinoxylan, mixed-linkage glucan and mannan as target substrates for the enzymatic cleaning of BoBo residues from surfaces. Indirect immunofluorescence microscopy revealed that burning resulted in extensive structural modifications and degradation of the three-dimensional architecture of constituent polysaccharide matrices. Results from high-throughput enzyme screening indicate that inclusion of xylan depolymerising enzymes in automatic dishwashing detergents may improve cleaning of recalcitrant, plant glycan-rich BoBo soils. Collectively, this study provides new insight into the composition and removal chemistry of complex, multi-component food soils.