Application of microbial extracellular carbohydrate polymeric substances in food and allied industries

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are biopolymers, composed of polysaccharides, nucleic acids, proteins and lipids, which possess unique functional properties. Despite significant strides made in chemical production processes for polymers, the niche occupied by exopolysaccharides produced by bacteria, yeast or algae is steadily growing in its importance. With the availability of modern tools, a lot of information has been generated on the physico-chemical and biological properties using spectrometric tools, while advanced microscopic techniques have provided valuable insights into the structural-functional aspects. The size of EPS generally ranges between 10 and 10,000 kDa. The wide spectra of applications of EPS as adhesives, stabilizer, gelling, suspending, thickening agent, and surfactants in food and pharmaceutical industries are observed. The health benefits of these EPS enable the improvement of dual function, added value, and green products. This review summarizes previous work on the structural composition, rheological and thermal behaviour, and biosynthetic pathways of EPS and bioprocesses developed for their production. This review also considers each of the above factors and presents the current knowledge on the importance and refinement of available downstream protocols and genetic engineering towards specific food applications, which can help to diversify their prospects in different food and allied industries.