Disclosed herein are methods of producing aqueous dispersions comprising insoluble alpha-glucan having at least 50% alpha-1,3 glycosidic linkages. For example, in addition to dispersing insoluble alpha-glucan that has never been dried, methods are disclosed for effectively dispersing insoluble alpha-glucan that has previously been dried. Further disclosed are aqueous dispersions comprising insoluble alpha-glucan, such as those produced by the disclosed methods. Aqueous dispersions of the present disclosure have enhanced features of viscosity, stability, and particle size distribution, for example. Application of aqueous dispersions in various products and uses are also disclosed.

In one aspect, thermal energy storage compositions are described herein. In some embodiments, a composition comprises 0.5-10 wt. % polysaccharide and 88-99.5 wt. % water, wherein the weight percentages are based on the total weight of the composition. Moreover, in some cases, the composition is shape stable at 20° C. and 1 atm.

A thickening composition contains xanthan gum having per 100 parts by weight thereof, at least 0.5 parts by weight or more of metal salt bound on the surface of xanthan gum powder. This thickening composition is capable of convenient viscosity development by addition to water-containing objects. Thus, the thickening composition is suitable for use in, for example, food applications for convenient thickening of soft drinks, basting, sauce, dressing, soup, mousse, jelly, or the like, or application for viscosity development by addition of a small amount thereof to meals for patients having difficulty in mastication/swallowing, for example due to eating disorder.

A thickening composition contains xanthan gum having per 100 parts by weight thereof, at least 0.5 parts by weight or more of metal salt bound on the surface of xanthan gum powder. This thickening composition is capable of convenient viscosity development by addition to water-containing objects. Thus, the thickening composition is suitable for use in, for example, food applications for convenient thickening of soft drinks, basting, sauce, dressing, soup, mousse, jelly, or the like, or application for viscosity development by addition of a small amount thereof to meals for patients having difficulty in mastication/swallowing, for example due to eating disorder.

Provided is a flame-retardant resin composition containing a thermoplastic resin and a polysaccharide, wherein the polysaccharide includes an acidic polysaccharide composed of one or more selected from the group consisting of a polysaccharide having an acidic functional group, a derivative of the polysaccharide having an acidic functional group in which a site other than the acidic functional group is modified, and a salt thereof; and a total number of the acidic functional group and the salt thereof per monosaccharide unit in the acidic polysaccharide is in the range of 0.2 to 1.5.

The present invention provides a method for removing a divalent metal cation from a macromolecular compound having an anionic functional group and containing the divalent metal cation, including (1) suspending a macromolecular compound having an anionic functional group and containing a divalent metal cation in a solution in which an electrolyte that releases an alkali metal ion is dissolved at a concentration at which the macromolecular compound is salted out, and (2) performing, in the obtained suspension, an ion exchange reaction to exchange the divalent metal cation contained in the macromolecular compound with the alkali metal ion.

The present disclosure provides compositions comprising an isolated polysaccharide comprising β-1,4 linked galactosamine and glucosamine monomers, wherein the amino groups of each of the galactosamine and glucosamine are partially substituted with acetate. The disclosure further provides vaccine, methods of use, and methods of producing the isolated polysaccharide.

The instant application relates to nanogels or compositions that hold multivalent metal ions until some level of nanogel degradation has occurred, then slowly release the multivalent metal ions for gelation with carboxylate containing polymers. Compositions comprising such nanogels, together with polymers that can be crosslinked with multivalent metal ions, allow the deployment of such mixtures in various applications, and greatly increased gelation times.

The instant application relates to nanogels or compositions that hold multivalent metal ions until some level of nanogel degradation has occurred, then slowly release the multivalent metal ions for gelation with carboxylate containing polymers. Compositions comprising such nanogels, together with polymers that can be crosslinked with multivalent metal ions, allow the deployment of such mixtures in various applications, and greatly increased gelation times.

A method of preparing a hydrogel product including crosslinked glycosaminoglycan molecules, said method including: i) providing a glycosaminoglycan crosslinked by amide bonds, wherein the crosslinked glycosaminoglycans include residual amine groups; and ii) acylating residual amine groups of the crosslinked glycosaminoglycans provided in i) to form acylated crosslinked glycosaminoglycans.