β-Glucan exhibits many biological activities and functions such as stimulation of the immune system and anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-infective, anti-viral, anti-tumor, anti-oxidant, anti-coagulant, cholesterol-lowering, radio protective, and wound healing effects. It has a wide variety of uses in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and chemical industries as well as in food processing units. However, due to its dense triple helix structure, formed by the interaction of polyhydroxy groups in the β-d-glucan molecule, it features poor solubility, which not only constrains its applications, but also inhibits its physiological function in vivo. One aim is to expand the applications for modified β-glucan with potential to prevent disease, various therapeutic purposes and as health-improving ingredients in functional foods and cosmetics. This review introduces the major modification methods required to understand the bioactivity of β-glucan and critically provides a literature survey on the structural features of this molecule and reported biological activity. We also discuss a new method to create novel opportunities to exploit maximally various properties of β-glucan, namely ultrasound-assisted enzymatic modification.

In order to extend the incense period, to improve the stability and processability of osmanthus fragrance. It has not reported to use γ-PGA/Gelatin nanoparticle preparate coated fragrance. This research used γ-PGA/Gelatin nanoparticles after embedding essence, observed its property index. γ-PGA/Gelatin nanoparticle was investigated with respect to its optimum experiment process and microencapsulation technology. Through coagulation precipitation, which is an ionic self-assembly process, a large amount obtained of non-toxic and edible. Thermogravimetric analysis uncovered that fragrance-γ-PGA/Gelatin nanoparticles were surprisingly well conserved at rapidly increasing temperature. E-nose measurement revealed fine stability of scent. The yield was obtained as 41.6g/L which increased by 32.9% under optimized conditions and less waste was created. As the temperature increased from 0°C to 200 °C, the coated fragrance lost only by 11% while bare fragrance molecules almost fully evaporated. The unchanged and stable scent and a superior ability of heat resistant were attributed to the nano-size effect of fine structure and good characteristics of the incorporation of γ-PGA and gelatin.