Abstract
Nowadays, biopolymers as intelligent and active biopolymer systems in the food and pharmaceutical industry are of considerable interest in their use. With this association in view, biopolymers such as chitosan, alginate, pectin, cellulose, agarose, guar gum, agar, carrageenan, gelatin, dextran, xanthan, and other polymers have received significant attention in recent years due to their abundance and natural availability. Furthermore, their versatile properties such as non-toxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradability, and flexibility offer significant functionalities with multifunctional applications. The purpose of this review is to summarize the most compatible biopolymers such as chitosan, alginate, and pectin, which are used for application in food, biotechnological processes, and biomedical applications. Therefore, chitosan, alginate, and pectin are biopolymers (used in the food industry as a stabilizing, thickening, capsular agent, and packaging) with great potential for future developments. Moreover, this review highlights their characteristics, with a particular focus on their potential for biocompatibility, biodegradability, bioadhesiveness, and their limitations on certain factors in the human gastrointestinal tract.
Highlights
Biopolymers are polymers obtained from natural sources, either entirely biosynthesized by living organisms or chemically synthesized from biological material [1,2,3]
Biopolymers are polymers formed from pathways and, they are increasingly important for multiple biotechnological applications, natural sources entirely biosynthesized by living organisms, and are biodegradable
Chitosan has the ability to enhance the paracellular route of absorption, which is very important for the transport of hydrophilic compounds such as therapeutic peptides and antisense oligonucleotides across the membrane
Summary
Biopolymers are polymers obtained from natural sources, either entirely biosynthesized by living organisms or chemically synthesized from biological material [1,2,3]. Biopolymers are polymers formed from pathways and, they are increasingly important for multiple biotechnological applications, natural sources entirely biosynthesized by living organisms, and are biodegradable. The objectives considered in the review are the use of biopolymers in the food industry, biotechnological processes, and biomedical applications, with a main focus on the use as stabilizing, thickening, or capsular agents, as well as for packaging. These biopolymers are considered to be polymers with great potential for future developments. This review highlights their characteristics, with emphasis on their potential for biocompatibility, biodegradability, and bioadhesiveness, alongside their limitations under certain conditions, such as those from the human gastrointestinal tract, following consumption
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