99% Dextran CAS 9004-54-0

What is dextran? What are its uses?

I. What is dextran?

Dextran is a natural polysaccharide built from glucose units. Chemically, it belongs to the αglucan family. It is synthesized and secreted by lactic acid bacteria using sucrose as the substrate. Its key characteristics include hydrophilicity, water solubility, filmforming capacity and thickening performance. It is also relatively chemically inert and exhibits favourable biocompatibility.

Basic information

Chinese name: dextran (glucan); English name: Dextran; CAS No.: 9004540; Chemical formula: H(C₆H₁₀O₅)ₓOH; Appearance: white to offwhite amorphous powder, odorless and tasteless; easily soluble in hot water, insoluble in ethanol.

Structure

Dextran is a branchedchain glucose polymer. Its molecular backbone consists of glucose units connected linearly via α1,6 glycosidic bonds. Side branches are formed when some glucose units carry α1,3 glycosidic bonds at the C3 position.

Mechanism of action:

1. Hydrophilic and waterretaining effect

A large number of hydroxyl groups are distributed on the molecular surface. These groups combine with water molecules to absorb and lock moisture, delivering waterretention and moisturizing effects in food and cosmetic formulations.

2. Thickening and stabilization effect

The viscosity of its aqueous solution rises with increasing molecular weight and concentration. It can improve system consistency and stabilize emulsion and suspension states.

3. Filmforming property

After drying, dextran can form a continuous, flexible and transparent film, which is suitable for surface coating and microencapsulation.

4. Tunable branching characteristics

The degree of branching can be adjusted by selecting bacterial strains and controlling processing conditions. Targeted viscoelasticity and solubility can be customized to meet different application requirements.

Main applications of dextran

1. Food processing industry

Baked goods (bread, glutenfree bakery products, pastries)

Dextran retains moisture and delays starch retrogradation, producing softer bread crumb and extending shelf life. Glutenfree bread lacks a gluten network; dextran effectively improves the texture and mouthfeel of glutenfree baked goods.

Related products: bread, toast, cakes, glutenfree bakery products, etc.

Candy and icing (fudge, fondant, jam, syrup)

It inhibits sucrose recrystallization and prevents sugar crystallization and blooming, yielding delicate and stable candy texture.

Related products: gummy candies, fondant, jams, jellies, icing, etc.

Frozen desserts (ice cream, popsicles, smoothies)

It acts as a stabilizer and restrains ice crystal growth, creating a finer, smoother texture and enhancing melt resistance.

Related products: ice cream, popsicles, smoothies, frozen mousse, etc.

Beverages (fruit juice, dairy drinks, plantprotein beverages)

It optimizes mouthfeel, increases richness and coating sensation of liquid systems, and stabilizes and disperses suspended solids.

Related products: fruitjuice drinks, dairy beverages, soymilk, coffee drinks, etc.

Meat products (sausages, ham)

It improves waterholding capacity and texture. In lowfat formulations, it serves as a fat replacer and texture modifier.

Related products: sausages, ham, meatballs, etc.

Edible fruit and vegetable coating for preservation

Dextran can be compounded with other filmforming agents to prepare edible coatings. The coating slows down dehydration and deterioration of fruits and vegetables and prolongs shelf life.

Related products: strawberries, apples, tomatoes, freshcut fruits and vegetables, etc.

Dietary fiber and prebiotic potential

It has been investigated as a dietaryfiber source and a potential prebiotic raw material.

Related products: dietaryfiber additives, functional food ingredients, etc.

2. Personal care and cosmetics

Skincare products (serums, masks, creams, eye creams)

It hydrates and locks in moisture, forms a breathable moisturizing film to enhance skin feel and improve product spreadability. Its INCI name in ingredient lists is Dextran.

Related products: moisturizing serums, facial masks, creams, eye creams, makeup primers, etc.

Oralcare products (toothpaste, mouthwash)

Note: The functional ingredient commonly used in oral care is dextranase rather than dextran itself. Dextranase specifically decomposes dextran contained in dental plaque and helps reduce plaque accumulation.

Related products: enzymecontaining toothpaste, mouthwash, etc.

3. Laboratory and biotechnology fields

Chromatographic separation media (Sephadex series)

Crosslinked dextran forms gel microspheres, which are classic packing materials for gelfiltration (sizeexclusion) chromatography. They separate, purify and desalt substances of different molecular weights based on poresize fractionation.

Related products: Sephadex G10 to G200 series media, etc.

Nanomaterial surface coating

Dextran can coat nanoparticles such as iron oxide to prevent particle aggregation and oxidation, improve biocompatibility, and manufacture functional nanomaterials including MRI contrast agents.

Related products: ironoxide nanoparticles for MRI contrast agents, functionalized nanocarriers, etc.

Biosensors and osmoticpressure research

Dextran is used as a carrier for enzyme immobilization in biosensors. It is also applied in osmoticstress experiments for studying conformational changes of biological macromolecules.

Related products: immobilizedenzyme sensors, laboratory osmoticpressure reagents, etc.

4. Industrial applications and derivatives

Sugar industry — problems and countermeasures

Dextran is an unwanted contaminant in sucrose manufacturing. It raises the viscosity of sugar liquor, blocks pipelines and reduces crystallization yield. Industrial solutions include sanitation control, dextran content monitoring and degradation treatment with dextranase.

Related products : enzyme treatment agents for sugar refining, dextran detection kits, etc.

Functional materials and dextran derivatives

Abundant hydroxyl groups on dextran molecules support facile chemical modification. Sulfation, crosslinking and other derivatives can be synthesized for developing functional materials and biochemical reagents.

Related products: dextran sulfate, crosslinked dextran gel, modified biomaterials, etc.

Summary

Dextran is a branched glucose polymer produced by lactic acid bacteria with sucrose as the substrate. It exists naturally in dental plaque, fermented foods and sugarmanufacturing streams. Its outstanding properties including hydrophilic water retention, thickening and stabilizing capability, filmforming performance, chemical inertness and low immunogenicity enable wide applications in bakery and confectionery, frozen desserts, beverages, skincare cosmetics and chromatographic separation media.