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Da, a hydrodynamic radius of 199 nm. Scanning electron microscopy revealed a porous morphology associated with high hydration capacity. Rheological analysis indicated that the polymer exhibits pseudoplastic behaviour at high concentrations, a characteristic of shear-thinning biopolymers. Functional assays demonstrated outstanding techno-functional performance: high water solubility (97.7%), remarkable water-holding capacity (270%), significant emulsifying ability (E24 up to 78%), strong antioxidant activity (up to 87% hydroxyl radical scavenging) and biological activities including antibiofilm inhibition (>65%) and antifungal activity against phytopathogenic spores (up to 84%). These properties may be associated to the structural flexibility and abundant hydroxyl groups of the macromolecule. In conclusion, this work highlights the relationship between structural characteristics and multifunctional properties of a microbial dextran produced by a W. confusa strain, suggesting its potential as a natural, sustainable biological macromolecule for food, pharmaceutical and agricultural applications.
Zarour et al. (Fri,) studied this question.