Food Polymers Functionality and Applications

Food polymers are polymers from edible plants, animals, and microorganisms that can be used in food systems, including proteins, polysaccharides, and peptides. Generally, food polymers can be classified into three groups based on their sources: (1) plant-based food polymers, such as starch, dietary fiber, and cereal protein; (2) animal-based food polymers, such as meal protein; (3) microorganism-based food polymers, such as fungus polysaccharides. The oils and/or lipid from plant and animals could also be considered as food polymers although their molecular weights are relatively small.