Characterisation and functional roles of a highly branched dextran produced by a bee pollen isolate Leuconostoc mesenteroides BI-20

Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) from different niches can be responsible for the production of distinct exopolysaccharides (EPS) that might possess important structural and technological features. In this respect, the aim of this study was to isolate an EPS producer LAB strain from bee pollen environment. Leuconostoc mesenteroides BI-20 with a slimy-mucoid colony morphology was identified from bee pollen and the structural, technological and functional characteristics of EPS produced by this strain were determined. EPS BI-20 was a highly branched dextran containing 20% (1 → 3)-linked α-D-glucose branches determined by ¹H and ¹³C NMR analysis. The presence of (1 → 6)/(1 → 3)-linked α-D-glucose linkages in dextran BI-20 was also confirmed by FTIR analysis. Dextran BI-20, with a molecular weight of 1 × 10⁸ Da, possessed strong thermal properties, amorphous nature and highly branched and fibrous microstructural characteristics determined by DSC, TGA, XRD and SEM analysis, respectively. In terms of functional roles, dextran BI-20 demonstrated strong antioxidant capacity detected by ABTS and CUPRAC tests. Finally, no digestion was observed in dextran BI-20 under simulated gastric conditions. Results of this study unveiled techno-functional characteristics of dextran BI-20 produced by a bee pollen isolate LAB strain.