Polysaccharides, also known as glycans, are a form of long-chain carbohydrates (e.g. starch, cellulose, glycogen) whose molecules consist of a number of sugar molecules (monosaccharides) bonded together. The number of monosaccharides can greatly vary: Polysaccharides can consist of 10 to up to several thousand monosaccharides (sugar molecules) arranged in chains. The most common monosaccharides in polysaccharides are glucose, fructose, galactose and mannose. Being polymeric carbohydrates, polysaccharides can exhibit linear to highly branched structures.
Polysaccharides are most abundantly found in plants, e.g. as starches in cereal grains, potatoes and legumes. Dietary fibers such as pectin, inulin or cellulose are mainly present in whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. But also in animal-derived foods can be found small amounts of polysaccharides, e.g. glycogen in shellfish and animal liver. The indigestible fiber chitin and its derivative chitosan are a main component in shells of crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps.

Polysaccharides are an important compound in nutrition. Some polysaccharides are a dense sources of energy (e.g. glucose), others are known for their anti-inflammatory and immune modulating properties (e.g. beta-glucans, glucomannans, arabinoxylans).
In order to formulate pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements and medicines, polysaccharides must be extracted from the raw material (e.g. grain, medicinal mushrooms, herbs) and concentrated to a polysaccharide-rich product. To obtain a high-quality polysaccharide extract, the extraction method is a key factor for isolation of plant polysaccharides.
Ultrasonic extraction is a non-thermal isolation technique, which is used widely in the food and pharma industry. Sonication breaks the cell walls and releases the stored polysaccharides. Polysaccharides from medicinal mushroom, grains, algaes, ginseng, psyllium and many other vegetables and fruits have been already successfully extracted using ultrasonic extractors.
Hielscher Ultrasonics supplies powerful ultrasonic extraction systems on lab, bench-top and industrial scale. All Hielscher ultrasonic processors are robust, built for 24/7 operation and easy & safe to operate.
Read more about how ultrasonic extraction can improve your polysaccharide production!