Abstract
Pullulan is an industrially important biopolymer that is an exopolysaccharide obtained through a fungal fermentation route. It consists of repeating maltotriose units through an α,1-4 glycosidic bond with chemical formula (C6H10O5)n. It is well known for its neutral and nonionic nature, high water solubility, nontoxicity, nonmutagenicity, noncarcinogenicity, and biodegradability. It is Generally Regarded as Safe (GRAS) by the United States Food and Drug Administration and has been used as a food ingredient for more than 20years in Japan. This biopolymer is an excellent film-former with high thermal stability, mechanical strength, and moisture barrier properties. It can be used as a carrier for drug or gene delivery, and active packaging for food and pharmaceuticals. Hence, pullulan and its blends and composites with other natural compounds are of special interest among researchers and industrialists. The first commercial product to use pullulan is Listerine, which is made up of pullulan strips that quickly dissolve and are used as a breath freshener. Therefore, to explore the possible applications of pullulan, it is blended with different natural polymers like cellulose, chitosan, starch as well as synthetic polymers like polyvinyl alcohol and polyethyleneimine. This chapter presents a brief overview of pullulan blends and composites along with their possible applications in the biomedical, food, pharmaceutical, and environmental sectors.
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