Potential of Wood Hemicelluloses and Their Derivates as Food Ingredients

Felix Abik, Chonnipa Palasingh, Mamata Bhattarai, Shaun Leivers, Anna Ström, Bjørge Westereng*, Kirsi S. Mikkonen*, Tiina Nypelö*

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalReview Articlepeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)
127 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

A holistic utilization of all lignocellulosic wood biomass, instead of the current approach of using only the cellulose fraction, is crucial for the efficient, ecological, and economical use of the forest resources. Use of wood constituents in the food and feed sector is a potential way of promoting the global economy. However, industrially established food products utilizing such components are still scarce, with the exception of cellulose derivatives. Hemicelluloses that include xylans and mannans are major constituents of wood. The wood hemicelluloses are structurally similar to hemicelluloses from crops, which are included in our diet, for example, as a part of dietary fibers. Hence, structurally similar wood hemicelluloses have the potential for similar uses. We review the current status and future potential of wood hemicelluloses as food ingredients. We include an inventory of the extraction routes of wood hemicelluloses, their physicochemical properties, and some of their gastrointestinal characteristics, and we also consider the regulatory route that research findings need to follow to be approved for food solutions, as well as the current status of the wood hemicellulose applications on that route.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2667–2683
Number of pages17
JournalJournal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry
Volume71
Issue number6
Early online date1 Feb 2023
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 15 Feb 2023
MoE publication typeA2 Review article, Literature review, Systematic review

Keywords

  • emulsions
  • mannans
  • novel foods
  • xylans

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