Pullulan is a versatile biopolymer produced from the fermentation of carbohydrates that exhibits unique properties such as high adhesion and non-toxicity. Its applications span the food, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries, serving as a binder, thickener, film former, and low-calorie additive. Pullulan has received GRAS status in the USA and an E number in Europe, with its future prospects promising due to innovative applications and cost-effective production.

1. PULLULAN (KOPULAN) AND ITS APPLICATION
Pullulan is a biopolymer with unique and interesting properties. It is basically a polysaccharide produced by the
fermentation of carbohydrate (starch/sugar) by Aureobasidium pullulans.
INCI name: Pullulan
Ubiquitous yeast like fungus. Chemically, it consists of repeated unit of
CAS No: 9057-02-7
maltotriose units where three glucose units in maltotriose are connected by
Molecular formula: (C6H12O5)n
an α-1,4 glycosidic bond and consecutive maltotriose units are connected to
each other by an α-1,6 glycosidic bond. This typical linkage pattern in fact
render some distinctive physical traits which are different from many known polysaccharide, one interesting
characteristic it posses is high adhesion properties, which tend to form strong film with oxygen impermeable
ability.
Pullulan is a white to off white powder and is flavorless, odorless tasteless and extremely stable. It is non toxic
and non immunogenic in nature and readily dissolves in water and at 5-10% it forms a non-hygroscopic viscous
solution. Its viscosity is comparatively lower than many polysaccharides and it equivalent to gum Arabic. Its
viscosity high in lower concentration and remains constant to relatively high concentration and does not form
a gel. It decomposes at 250⁰C -- 280⁰C.
Being a versatile polysaccharide it has wide and interesting application in food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical
industry with a technology platform for innovation.
Pullulan in food
Being a non starch polysaccharide it can be used in food primarily as binder and thickener. Due to its low
viscosity pullulan can also be used as low viscosity filler in beverages and sauces. Its adhesive nature is
exploited for making of confectioneries like, chocolates, candies, nut cookies, lollipop toffee etc, also as
protective glazing agent in food product.
It can also be used as low calorie additive and prebiotic because in the gut amylase is resistance to Pullulan
therefore it is partially digested resulting in isomaltose, which help in growth of beneficial bacteria specially
bifidobacterium. As low calorie food Pullulan can be added as partial replacement for starch in pasta, baked
foods, bread, biscuit and noodles etc.
Pullulan as food additive have been extensively used in Japan since last 20 year and has GRAS status in USA
while in Europe it has the E number E-1204 as food additive.
Pullulan in cosmetics

2. Pullulan also has wide application as additive and thickener in cosmetic formulation by providing smoothness
due to its stable viscous nature in wide range of pH, to heating, in most metal ion including sodium chloride.
Pullulan has film forming ability. Also it is has characteristics like water solubility, dispersibility, moisture
absorptivity, tackiness and toxicity. These properties of Pullulan helps to be used in various cosmetic
formulations like lotion, shampoo, face pack, eyeliner, lipstick, powder, gel, mascara, shrub etc.
The adherence nature of Pullulan helps considerably in tightening of the skin resulting in exhibiting strong antiaging effect. Being a biopolymer it also forms sheer film improving skin texture. Being viscous oil resistance
and water soluble it can be easily washed away from the skin and maintaining freshness of the skin.
Pullulan in Pharmaceuticals
In pharmaceutical its film forming ability is exploited for making oral strip where colours flavour and functional
ingredient can be entrapped in the film matrix and effectively stabilized. Further this film forming ability is also
utilized for making of capsule and soft gel capsule. It can also be used as bulking agent in tablets. Pullulan
coating of dietary supplement tablets and soft gel helps to maintain the stability of active ingredient which is
prone to oxidation. It oxygen impermeability is 9 time better then gelatin capsule and 300 times better then
HPMC capsule. Being fermentation based product it is considered vegetative and has no ‘BSE’ issue. The
capsule from Pullulan can be considered as vegetal, non starch, transparent, Gluten free, preservative free and
non-GMO.
Additionally pullulan and its derivative have also been used in photographic, lithographic, electronics and
biomedical application (tissue engineering, wound healing). And future prospects for pullulan looks very
promising with new innovative application coming into being and its availability and production increasing in a
cost effective way.
This article is written by Dr Lambit Kanwar. Dr Lambit is Head of Biotech products in Kumar Organic Products
Ltd. Beside his work he likes to write about different natural and biotech products used as preservatives and
skin care ingredients.