Ascorbic acid induced degradation of polysaccharide from natural products: a review

Polysaccharide derived from natural products has a wide range of sources and mild properties, and exhibit various bioactivities. Ascorbic acid is one of the most important nutrients in fruits and vegetables, as well as their products. Ascorbic acid and polysaccharide coexist in many systems during food production and processing. Many studies have found that ascorbic acid at low concentrations degrades polysaccharide derived from natural products via hydroxyl radical. In this paper, the research progress on ascorbic acid induced polysaccharide degradation is summarized from four aspects: mechanism of action, analytical methods, influencing factors and bioactivity of degradation products. It is expected to provide a theoretical basis for further research.