Advancements in non-starch polysaccharides research for frozen foods and microencapsulation of probiotics

Conventionally used in the food industry as stabilizing, thickening, gelling, and suspending or dispersing agents, non-starch polysaccharides such as xanthan gum are known to improve the texture of certain frozen products. Another polysaccharide that has received significant attention in recent years is chitosan, a natural biopolymer derived from chitin. In the wake of growing interest in finding ideal encapsulating agents for probiotics, non-starch polysaccharides have been investigated. Scattered research can be found on the effect of each individual polysaccharide, but there remains a void in the literature in terms of closely comparing the characteristics of non-starch polysaccharides for these applications, especially when more than one biopolymer is employed. A good understanding of the tools capable of elucidating the underlying mechanisms involved is essential in ushering further development of their applications. Therefore, it is this review’s intention to focus on the selection criteria of non-starch polysaccharides based on their rheological properties, resistance to harsh conditions, and ability to improve sensory quality. A variety of critical tools is also carefully examined with respect to the attainable information crucial to frozen food and microencapsulation applications.