Dynamic high-pressure microfluidization for the extraction and processing of polysaccharides: a focus on some foods and by-products

Dynamic high-pressure microfluidization (DHPM) is an emerging treatment technology and has been widely used for the recovery of natural polysaccharides. The aim of the present contribution is to discuss the DHPM-assisted extraction and processing of polysaccharides from some foods and by-products by reviewing the instrument and working principle, procedures, key parameters, and effects of DHPM on the structures, food properties, and bioactivities of resulting polysaccharides. It was found that a DHPM instrument with Z-type chamber is preferable for extracting polysaccharides, and a DHPM with Y-type chamber is applicable for processing polysaccharides. The solid-to-liquid ratio (or concentration), pressure, and number of passes are the key parameters influencing the outcome of DHPM extraction and processing. The DHPM under suitable conditions is conducive to boosting the extraction yields of polysaccharides, enriching the carbohydrates and uronic acids in polysaccharides, lowering the protein impurities, and transforming insoluble dietary fibers into soluble ones. In most cases, DHPM treatment improved the food properties of polysaccharides via decreasing viscosity, molecular weight, and particle size, as well as losing the surface morphology. More importantly, DHPM is a mild treatment technique that barely affects the chain backbones of polysaccharides. DHPM-assisted extraction and processing endowed polysaccharides with enhanced antioxidant, hypolipidemic, and hypoglycemic activities, exhibiting potential for the treatment of cardiovascular disease. In addition, DHPM-treated polysaccharides exerted certain potential in whitening cosmetics via inhibiting tyrosinase. In conclusion, DHPM is a mild, efficient, and green technology to recover and modify polysaccharides from natural resources, especially foods and by-products. © 2025 Society of Chemical Industry.