Provided is a production method for a gel composition including steps (1) to (3) mentioned below: step (1) of mixing at room temperature a partial degradation product of the galactose moiety of galactoxyloglucan and an aqueous solvent to obtain a mixture; step (2) of cooling or freezing the mixture obtained in step (1); and step (3) of gelling the mixture cooled or frozen in step (2) by heating to obtain a gel composition that includes the galactose-partial degradation product.

Acetylated polysaccharides and methods of making and using them are provided. One method of making acetylated polysaccharides includes providing polysaccharides, purifying the polysaccharides to 1-90% purity by weight, providing an acetylation agent, providing a catalyst, mixing the acetylation agent and catalyst with the polysaccharides, thereby manufacturing acetylated polysaccharides, and purifying the acetylated polysaccharides.

Disclosed herein is a method for producing modified gum arabic, the method comprising: providing gum arabic; heating said gum arabic, resulting in heat-treated gum arabic; dissolving said heat-treated gum arabic in a solution; optionally, filtering said solution containing said dissolved gum arabic; and subjecting said solution containing said dissolved gum arabic to spray-drying. Further disclosed herein is a gum arabic from Acacia Senegal having (i) a weight average molecular weight (M.sub.w) of ≥3.8.Math.10.sup.6 Da, and/or (ii) a RMS-radius of gyration (R.sub.g) of ≥140 nm.

A galactomannan degradation product wherein a molecular weight distribution thereof satisfies the following requirements: a molecular weight of 12,000 or more is from 1 to 32%; a molecular weight of from 300 to 3,000 is from 25 to 60%; and a maximum of peak intensity in the molecular weight patterns of high-performance liquid chromatography exists within the range of a molecular weight of from 4,000 to 14,000. The galactomannan degradation product of the present invention can be used in various foodstuff, cosmetics, and the like.

The present invention provides a method for the extraction and isolation of soluble arabinoxylan products from cereal grain. Preferably, such soluble arabinoxylan product is any one of soluble arabinoxylan, arabinoxylan-oligosaccharides, xylose, arabinose, ferulic acid and mixtures thereof. Said method comprises partial debranning of whole cereal grains to obtain partially debranned cereal grains followed by roller milling of said partially debranned cereal grains to obtain cereal bran. The method further comprises the mashing of at least part of said cereal bran in water optionally involving the treatment of the mash with any one of an enzyme preparation, an acid, a base, a peroxide or combinations thereof, either simultaneously or sequentially, to solubilize and optionally depolymerize a fraction of the arabinoxylan comprised in said cereal bran. Preferably, said treatment is done with an enzyme preparation containing an endoxylanase. The method further comprises the separation from said mash of a solubilized fraction, which comprises at least part of the solubilized soluble arabinoxylan products.

A composition and method for treating a fracturing fluid comprising produced water with high levels of dissolved solids using a polymer crosslinked with a boron compound and a high pH alkylamine buffer. The composition improves the viscosity stability of the fracturing fluid at elevated bottom-hole temperatures, particularly when the fluid has high levels of calcium and magnesium. The composition is particularly useful with polysaccharides, including galactomannan gums, such as guar gum, locust bean gum, and karaya gum, and allows for the use of the preferred boron compound crosslinkers in high total dissolved solids fracturing fluids without the pH destabilization problems encountered with the prior art.

Disclosed are compositions including dihydroxyalkyl substituted polygalactomannan, and the optional further substitution of such with cationic and/or hydrophobic moieties. Method of making such compositions is also disclosed as well as the use of such compositions in industrial applications, fabric laundering, and personal and household care.

The present invention provides a method to prepare polysaccharides from Hirsutella sinensis. The prepared polysaccharides reduce body weight and fat accumulation in laboratory animals, and can therefore be used to prevent and treat obesity.

Synthetic oligosaccharides and mixtures thereof which resemble polysaccharides produced by plants, yeast and other fungi, bacteria, and algae are described. The oligosaccharides and compositions provided herein are useful as synbiotics, prebiotics, immune modulators, digestion aids, and food additives.

A biodegradable core-shell microcapsule composition with controlled release of an active material is provided, wherein the shell of the microcapsule is composed of a biopolymer cross-linked with a combination of two or more different types of cross-linking agents.