Readily water-miscible beta-glucan suspensions and methods of making and using the same. A readily water-miscible beta-glucan suspension includes a beta-glucan and a water-miscible organic fluid that comprises an alcohol, an alpha-hydroxy acid alkyl ester, a polyalkylene glycol alkyl ether, or a combination thereof, wherein the suspension is sufficient such that mixing with water at a shear rate of 40,000 s-1 or more forms a homogeneous mixture of the suspension and the water. The present invention also provides methods of dispersing the water-miscible beta-glucan suspension in water to form homogenous mixtures of the suspension and the water, methods of treating subterranean formations with such homogeneous mixtures, and methods of making the suspension.

The present invention relates to a Bifidobacterium bifidum inducing regulatory T cells (Treg), a polysaccharide derived from Bifidobacterium bifidum, and a probiotic strain producing a polysaccharide and, more particularly, a polysaccharide containing -1-6-glucan as an effective ingredient, a probiotic strain producing -1-6-glucan, a food comprising the polysaccharide or strain as an effective ingredient for alleviation of immune disease or inflammatory disease, a therapeutic agent comprising the polysaccharide or strain as an effective ingredient for alleviation of immune disease or inflammatory disease, a method for preparing induced regulatory T cells (iTreg) by treatment with the polysaccharide or strain, and a cell therapy product for prevention or treatment of immune disease or inflammatory disease, comprising the induced regulatory T cells prepared by the method.

Various aspects relate to refined beta-glucans and methods of maintaining filterability of compositions including beta-glucans at various salinities. A refined beta-glucan forms an aqueous beta-glucan composition including 1 g/L of the refined beta-glucan, the aqueous beta-glucan composition having a salinity of 100,000 ppm TDS or less and having a Filterability Ratio of less than 2 at a temperature of at least 50 C.

Method for separating a precipitate from a liquid, including:inducing transport of at least part of the precipitate to an upper surface of the liquid; andremoving precipitate from the upper surface of the liquid. The invention further provides a system for separating a precipitate from a liquid, wherein the system includes:a container (1) for receiving a liquid wherein precipitate is and/or has been formed;a precipitate transport inducing means (3) for inducing precipitate transport towards an upper surface of liquid, held in the container (1) during operation; anda precipitate removing means (5) for removing precipitate from a precipitate removal level within the container (1), the precipitate removal level being associated with an upper surface of liquid, held in the container (1) during operation. The invention also provides a process for the recovery of water soluble biopolymers from an aqueous solution.

Beta-glucan compositions including surfactants and methods of using the same, such as for treatment of subterranean formations. An aqueous beta-glucan composition includes a beta-glucan and a surfactant.

The present invention provides a process for the treatment of a composition comprising yeast cell walls comprising -1,3-glucans which are insoluble when extracted with water and partially soluble when extracted with DMSO, the process comprising contacting said composition with laminaripentaose-producing--1,3-glucanase and inactivating the laminaripentaose-producing--1,3-glucanase to result in a composition comprising yeast cell walls wherein the -1,3-glucans have an improved solubility in DMSO and the ratio of -glucans soluble in DMSO compared to water is greater than or equal to 2.

The present invention relates to a process for obtaining polysaccharides from jatoba seeds, comprising the steps of: a) seed processing (dry process); b) aqueous extraction at 1% to 5% of powder mass per volume, preferably 2% of powder mass per volume; c) precipitation with ethanol 969GL using 1 to 3 times the aqueous extract volume; d) press filtration of the precipitate obtained in (c); e) solublization of the polysaccharides obtained in step (d) with water; and f) drying the polysaccharides obtained in step (e). In another embodiment, the present invention relates to a cosmetic composition containing polysaccharides obtained according to the process defined above and to the use of said polysaccharides.

The invention provides an improved method of synthesising derivatives of -D-glucopyranoside-containing polymers, such as chitin, chitosan, cellulose, amylose, pullulan, curdlan, inulin, guar gum or cyclodextrin. The method includes reacting a polymer of formula (III) with a cyclic imide to form a polymer of formula (I) thereby introducing a nitrogen functionality at the 6-position and providing access to 6-deoxy-6-amino--D-glucopyranoside-containing polymers.

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The present invention relates to a method for decontaminating glucose polymers or the hydrolysates of the pro-inflammatory molecules thereof. Said method includes a) providing glucose polymers or the hydrolysates thereof, b) optionally, detecting or assaying the pro-inflammatory molecules in the glucose polymers or the hydrolysates thereof provided in Step a), and c) carrying out the following purifying steps: i. treatment using an enzymatic preparation having detergent properties and clarification properties; ii. treatment using a pharmaceutical-grade activated carbon with very high adsorption properties and micropore porosity; iii. optionally, treatment using a second activated carbon with mesopore porosity; iv. passing them over a macroporous adsorbent polymer resin having porosity greater than 100 Angstroms; and v. continuous ultrafiltration at 5 kDa.

Single-chain -glucans can be obtained by hydrothermal treatment of a solution containing (1,3)(1,6)--glucan for a predetermined time in a temperature range of from 145 C. to 200 C. at a pressure at or above the saturated vapor pressure at the treatment temperature. -Glucans capable of maintaining a single-chain state for an extended period of time can be produced without chemical treatment.