Cellulase-assisted extraction and antibacterial activity of polysaccharides from the dandelion Taraxacum officinale

In the present study, we investigated the cellulase-assisted extraction and antibacterial activity of water-soluble polysaccharides from the dandelion Taraxacum officinale. The extraction conditions, optimized for improving yield, were as follows: time, 46.11 min; temperature, 54.87 degrees C; pH, 4.51 and cellulase enzyme, 4000 U/g. Under these conditions, the yield of polysaccharides from dandelion (PD) reached 20.67% (w/w). The sugar content of PD was 95.6% (w/w), and it displayed high antibacterial activity at a concentration of 100 mg/mL against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis and Staphylococcus aureus. These results indicate that PD may be a viable option for use as a food preservative. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.