Natural Cyclodextrin Food Additive: Exploring New Possibilities for Functional Foods and Human Health!

α, β, γ-cyclodextrins Lead A New Era of Functional Food

Alpha Cyclodextrin

Alpha Cyclodextrins is a cyclic oligosaccharide composedwith 6 glucose units. lts cavity diameter is about 0.47-0.53 nmwhich is the smallest “molecular capsule” in the three natural cy-clodextrins.

Due to its small cavity structure, Alpha Cyclodextrins ismainly used for inclusion of small molecule compounds. lt couldincrease the stability, solubility and control the release of questmolecules. it also could be used as dietary fiber, antioxidant andemulsification etc, which has been widely used in functional foodand health products.

Beta Cyclodextrin

β -cyclodextrin consists of seven glucose units connectedby alpha-1,4-glucoside bonds to form a cylindrical structure.β -cyclodextrin is one of the earliest cyclodextrins to be studiedand industrialized, and this production process has been opti-mized and improved for many years to achieve large-scale in-dustrial production, and has been very mature.

Gamma Cyclodextrin

Gamma Cyclodextrin is a cyclic oligosaccharide made of 8 glucoseunits connected by a-1,4-glycoside bonds. The molecular structure isconical, with a hydrophilic outer surface and a hydrophobic lumen.It can embed a variety of hydrophobic molecules to form a stableInclusion.
The cavity of Gamma cyclodextrin is larger,so it can contain largermolecules(such as macromolecular spices,pigments,functional compo-nents,etc.).

Cyclodextrin can bind and mask the unpleasant flavors in food, such as fishy smell, bitterness, etc. For example, adding an appropriate amount of cyclodextrin to fish products can effectively mask the fishy smell and improve the taste and acceptance of the product.

Cyclodextrin can be used as a stabilizer and thickener to improve the stability and consistency of food and prevent the product from stratification, precipitation, etc. For example, adding an appropriate amount of cyclodextrin to beverages, ice cream and other products can improve the stability and consistency of the product.

Cyclodextrin has antioxidant and antibacterial effects, which can delay the oxidation and deterioration of oils and fats, inhibit the growth of bacteria and molds, and thus extend the shelf life of food.

In summary, cyclodextrin also has low toxicity and good biocompatibility, and is widely regarded as a safe food additive.