Scientists at Novosibirsk State Technical University (NSTU) are developing an additive based on carboxyethyl chitosan to create f+functional products. The work is carried out within the framework of the project "Modular technologies in the production of raw components of biopolymers", which is being implemented with the support of the Priority 2030 program.
According to Alexander Drannikov, Candidate of Pharmaceutical Sciences, who is the project manager, functional products, in addition to their nutritional value, contain useful components that have a beneficial effect on health. They are enriched with probiotics, vitamins and minerals, help to make up for deficiencies, strengthen the immune system and improve the functioning of the body.
Carboxyethyl Chitosan is effective in functional nutrition due to its unique structure. It has high porosity and adsorption capacity, not only absorbs and retains useful components, but also allows them to be released gradually. The presence of active groups in the polymer molecule makes it possible to retain vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants, protecting them from destruction in the aggressive environment of the stomach.
The practical value of carboxyethyl chitosan lies in the possibility of its use for lowering cholesterol levels. The high fat-binding capacity of the polymer can be used in the production of products that reduce the rate of absorption and digestion of lipids.
"In the course of the work, samples of carboxyethyl chitosan were synthesized. Then, in the laboratory, we investigated the dependence of the biopolymers swelling on the degree of functionalization, and selected the exposure time and temperature in order to obtain the most functional polymer. We also studied the interaction of carboxyethyl chitosan with agar-agar and established the possibility of using the developed compound as a gelling agent," said Polina Dubovskaya, a laboratory assistant at the Center for Technological Excellence, a 4th—year student at the Faculty of Business.
The scientists concluded that by varying the synthesis conditions of carboxyethyl chitosan, it is possible to control the properties of the polymer and ensure the desired properties of functional products.
In the future, university scientists will conduct microbiological studies of the developed compounds to assess their effectiveness and safety from the point of view of the food industry. It is planned to start introducing the additive (gelling system) into production as a component of functional products.
The development corresponds to the goals and objectives of the national project "Technological support of Bioeconomics".