Pullulan

E 1204

White, colorless and odorless, swellable powder

Fixed

• Slightly soluble in water
• Insoluble in organic solvents

Pullulan is a natural, water-soluble linear polysaccharide composed of maltotriose units. Three glucose units of maltotriose joined by α - 1 ,4-glucosidic links with each other, during successive maltotriose units linked by α -1 ,6- links. The molecular weight of the polymers is 10000-400000 daltons. Pullulan is produced using the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans from starch and sugar.

Various bacteria such as Klebsiella species possess enzymes that pullulanases with which they cleave pullulan and can make as a carbon source available.

Use

Pullulan is an edible, usually taste -free polymer, therefore the production of edible films / coatings is the main industrial use. Because it is not cleaved by the amylases present in the saliva, it is not digested by the body and excreted. Also known as cellophanähnliche packaging films is pullulan, especially in Japan use for food packaging. The market leader is the Japanese company Hayashibara.