Food and Health Potentials of Exopolysaccharides Derived from Lactobacilli

A biofilm is any group of microorganism in which cells stick to each other on a surface. While forming these biofilms microorganisms excrete out extracellular polymeric substances and form a film like structure around them. These extracellular polymeric substance are generally composed of extracellular DNA, proteins, and polysaccharides. The interest has been increased now in exploring valuable EPS due to its various industrial applications, and hence attention on EPS-producing biofilm-forming bacteria has also been greatly enhanced. The wide structural, physical and rheological diversity and other unique properties of EPS produced by biofilm-forming bacteria make it industrially and biotechnologically important. EPS has already been widely used as bioflocculants, bioabsorbents, encapsulating materials, heavy metal removing agents, drug delivery agents, ion exchange resins, and a natural immunomodulator. In addition, the distinct biophysicochemical properties of bacterial EPS proves its importance in the food industry as viscosifying, stabilizing, emulsifying, antioxidant and antibiofilm agents.