Sustainable production and pharmaceutical applications of β-glucan from microbial sources

ss-glucans are a large class of complex polysaccharides found in abundant sources. Our dietary sources of ss-glucans are cereals that include oats and barley, and non-cereal sources can consist of mushrooms, microalgae, bacteria, and seaweeds. There is substantial clinical interest in ss-glucans; as they can be used for a variety of diseases including cancer and cardiovascular conditions. Suitable sources of ss-glucans for biopharmaceutical applications include bacteria, microalgae, mycelium, and yeast. Environmental factors including culture medium can influence the biomass and ultimately ss-glucan content. Therefore, cultivation conditions for the above organisms can be controlled for sustainable enhanced production of ss-glucans. This review discusses the various sources of ss-glucans and their cultivation conditions that may be optimised to exploit sustainable production. Finally, this article discusses the immune-modulatory potential of ss-glucans from these sources.