Enzyme-assisted extraction of apricot polysaccharides: process optimization, structural characterization, rheological properties and hypolipidemic activity

The hypolipidemic polysaccharide with high yield was obtained using enzyme-assisted extraction, and the relationship among its activity, structure and rheological properties was studied. The conditions of enzyme-assisted extraction of apricot polysaccharide were optimized using response surface method. A Box-Behnken design was utilized to analyze the effects of liquid-material ratio, enzyme dosage, and incubation time on the yield, sodium glycocholate and sodium taurocholate binding rates. Optimal extraction conditions, for the highest yield, sodium glycocholate and sodium taurocholate binding rates, were 5 mL/mg liquid-material ratio, 3% enzyme dosage, and incubation time 1.5 h. Under these conditions, the yield, sodium glycocholate and sodium taurocholate binding rates were 21.90%, 39.08% and 43.80%, respectively. The results demonstrated that appropriately reducing the viscosity of polysaccharide is conductive to improve the intermolecular fluidity. Moreover, reducing the galacturonic acid content and molecular weight of polysaccharide in a certain range is beneficial to expose polysaccharide active groups and combine with cholate. Overall, the apricot polysaccharide obtained in this work can be used in the development of foods with hypolipidemic function.

Automated summary

This study obtained a high yield of hypolipidemic polysaccharide using enzyme-assisted extraction and investigated the relationship among its activity, structure, and rheological properties. The optimal extraction conditions for the highest yield, sodium glycocholate, and sodium taurocholate binding rates were determined as 5 mL/mg liquid-material ratio, 3% enzyme dosage, and incubation time of 1.5 h.