resumo
The wide industrial application of phycocolloids (e.g. alginates, agar and carrageenans) is based on their particular properties to form gels in aqueous solution. These seaweed polysaccharides present a chemical structure related with the taxonomic position of the algae: carrageenans are produced by carrageenophytes (red algae belonging mainly to the genera Kappaphycus, Eucheuma, Chondrus, Gigartina and Chondracanthus). Recently, new spectroscopic techniques have provided more accurate identification of the natural composition of the polysaccharides produced by these seaweeds. With the combination of two spectroscopic techniques (FTIR-ATR and FT-Raman) it is possible to identify the principal seaweed colloids in ground seaweed samples as in extracted material. Since the seaweed samples receive the minimum of handling and treatment (e.g. they are simply dried and ground), the composition determined represents, as accurately as possible, the native composition of the phycocolloids. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved
palavras-chave
CARRAGEENAN; GIGARTINACEAE; GALACTANS
categoria
Chemistry; Food Science & Technology
autores
Pereira, L; Amado, AM; Critchley, AT; van de Velde, F; Ribeiro-Claro, PJA
nossos autores
Maria de Lourdes Gomes Pereira
Professor Associado com Agregação
Paulo Ribeiro-Claro
Professor Associado com AgregaçãoGrupos
G5 - Materiais Biomiméticos, Biológicos e Vivos
G6 - Materiais Virtuais e Inteligência Artificial
agradecimentos
The authors acknowledge financial support from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology - IMAR-CMA (institute of Marine Research), Unidade de Quimica-Fisica Molecular and Laboratorio Associado CICECO.