ABSTRACT
Curdlan is a microbial extrapolysaccharide produced by Agrobacterium sp. Curdlan is a neutral polysaccharide that consists of linearly linked ß-1,3-glucose backbone, and it also exists as a triple-helical conformation in solid and liquid states. Curdlan and curdlan-like polysaccharides have been widely present in bacteria, alga, fungi, and so on. Curdlan is widely used in the food industry because of its special solubility and rheological properties. The market demand for curdlan has increased in Korea, Taiwan, and Japan since 1989. Fermentation is an efficient method for producing target products using microorganisms. Usually, temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen are the key parameters from the fermentation process optimization. The key step to hydrolyze the insoluble parts of curdlan is to understand the mechanism of curdlan resistant acid hydrolysis. Ideal hydrolysis conditions for curdlan oligosaccharide production using curdlan should maximize polysaccharide breakdown and minimize monosaccharide production.
