Ulvan from Ulva spp.: Extraction-driven structural heterogeneity and its impact on physicochemical behavior and gut barrier function
Trends in Food Science and Technology, cilt.178, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus)
- Yayın Türü: Makale / Derleme
- Cilt numarası: 178
- Basım Tarihi: 2026
- Doi Numarası: 10.1016/j.tifs.2026.106090
- Dergi Adı: Trends in Food Science and Technology
- Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Chemical Abstracts Core, Compendex, DIALNET, Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), Engineering Source (EBSCO)
- Anahtar Kelimeler: Intestinal barrier, Microbiota, Mucosal immunity, Structure–function, Ulva, Ulvan
- Atatürk Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet
Özet
Background: Ulvan, the major water-soluble sulfated polysaccharide in Ulva spp., is gaining increasing attention as a marine food carbohydrate with potential relevance to intestinal health. However, its food functionality remains difficult to generalize because ulvan is structurally heterogeneous and highly sensitive to source and processing history. Scope and approach: This review examines ulvan from a food science perspective, focusing on biomass sources, extraction and processing, structural heterogeneity, physicochemical behavior under gastrointestinal conditions, evidence for gut barrier-related functionality, food-system applications, and translational readiness. Key findings and conclusions: Current evidence indicates that ulvan functionality is strongly shaped by molecular weight, sulfation pattern, monosaccharide composition, linkage distribution, and extraction history. These features influence solubility, conformation, interfacial behavior, mucus interaction, epithelial accessibility, and microbiota-mediated responses. Cell and animal studies support roles for ulvan in barrier preservation, regulation of redox and inflammatory balance, and modulation of mucosal immune responses. However, human evidence remains limited to short-term studies of a single ulvan-rich preparation without direct gut-barrier endpoints, while food-matrix applications remain largely at the proof-of-concept or model-system level. Robust structure–function relationships remain difficult to establish because ulvan preparations are insufficiently standardized and gut-relevant evaluation strategies are inconsistent across studies. Ulvan should therefore be regarded not as a single bioactive ingredient, but as a structurally diverse family of polysaccharides with context-dependent functionality. Future progress will require clearer structural definition, harmonized food-relevant extraction and characterization workflows, food-matrix validation, safety and exposure assessment, and adequately powered human trials using the same ingredient grade. These advances will support the development of reproducible and regulatorily defensible ulvan-based food ingredients for gut health applications.