Preservation mechanisms of trehalose in food and biosystems

Preservation mechanisms of trehalose in food and biosystems
10 February 2005
Available online 17 June 2004
Alex Patist, and Hans Zoerb
Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces
Volume 40, Issue 2 , 10 February 2005, Pages 107-113
ScienceDirect
Cargill Inc. Research Center, Box 5699, Minneapolis, MN 55446, USA
Abstract
The stability or shelf-life of food and biomaterials has always been a critical issue in the food and pharmaceutical industry. Trehalose (--glucopyranosyl---glucopyranoside), a non-reducing diglucose sugar found in nature, confers to certain plant and animal cells the ability to survive dehydration for decades and to restore activity soon after rehydration. The interaction between trehalose and cell membranes or proteins, however, remains a debated subject, and a significant amount of work has been done to elucidate the mechanisms resulting in this unique behavior of preservation. This study shows how an interfacial phenomena approach has led to the use of trehalose as an excipient during freeze drying of a variety of products in the pharmaceutical industry. It also suggests opportunities as an ingredient for dried and processed food, as well as a non-toxic cryoprotectant of vaccines and organs for surgical transplants.
Author Keywords: Trehalose; Preservation mechanism; Freeze drying; Biological membrane
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