Renewable Resources and Enzymatic Processes to Create Functional Polymers: Adapting Materials and Reactions from Food Processing

摘要: We are exploiting materials and concepts from food science to create functionalized, environmentally friendly derivatives of the biopolymer chitosan, a byproduct seafood processing. Functional groups grafted onto chitosan using tyrosinase, enzyme responsible for browning. The functionalizing studied include low-molecular-weight phenols derived natural sources high-molecular-weight proteins. approach functionalize is illustrated with arbutin, phenol found in pears. Results demonstrate that tyrosinase initiates reactions lead conversion arbutin–chitosan solutions into gels. These gels can be rapidly broken by treatment chitosan-hydrolyzing chitosanase, demonstrating remain biodegradable. briefly review other studies which enzymatically confer functional properties. creation co-polymers results used couple gelatin chitosan. Gelatin proteinaceous meat production. tyrosinase-generated gelatin–chitosan conjugates have been observed offer interesting rheological thermal potential renewable resources enzymatic processing polymers useful