Investigation of extraction method effect on yeast beta glucan production

Abstract

Nowadays, due to the stressful, tiring and busy lives of humans, the immune system becomes weak and can get sick easily. Therefore, scientists have been doing researches about new, natural and healthy products that can strengthen their immune system and can provide to adapt life standards. One of these products is the beta glucan. It is a polysaccharide molecule that consists of D-glucose monomers bonding with beta glycosidic bonds. Beta (β) glucans have being produced from different sources (microorganisms, cereals and mushrooms) so they have different branched structures such as (1→3) (1→6), (1→3) (1→4), (1→3) (1→2). Thus, different branched beta glucans show different physicochemical properties and biological activities that designate their usage purposes. Especially yeast beta glucan has lots of biological activities. On the other hand, it is fact that the extraction method affects the molecular weight, yield, purity and other properties of beta glucans. The main purpose of this study is to compare the performances of ultrasonically assisted alkali-acidic and autolysis extraction methods to produce a high yield of beta glucan. Also, it was aimed to determine the effect of extraction method on the molecular weight of yeast beta glucan. As a result of this work, it was found that the yeast beta glucan yield for ultrasonic supported autolysis extraction (12 %) is higher than that of the ultrasonic supported alkali-acidic extraction (8 %). On the other hand, having the lower molecular weight of yeast beta glucan (87 kDa) was produced by using an ultrasonic supported autolysis extraction method.