Division Description

Beta-glucans are complex, high molecular mass (100–200 kDa) polysaccharides, found in the cell wall of many yeasts and cereals. The chemical name for ‘yeast beta-glucans’ is (1-3), (1-6)-β-D-glucans.

Beta-glucans consist of a backbone of β-1-3-linked glucose residues that are branched by β-1-6-linkages, to which chitin and mannoproteins are linked by β-1-4-bonds.

This novel food is a highly purified (1,3)-(1,6)-β-D-glucan isolated from yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, insoluble in water, but dispersible in many liquid matrices.