Description
A linear homopolysaccharide of maltotriose units produced by aerobic fermentation of the fungus Aureobasidium pullulans. The dominant ingredient for transparent edible films, oxygen-barrier coatings, and vegetarian capsule shells where clarity and barrier performance matter.
White to off-white free-flowing powder. Highly water-soluble, produces low-viscosity solutions at moderate concentration and exceptionally clear, odorless, tasteless films on drying. Oxygen permeability is among the lowest of any natural polymer film.
We supply food-grade and pharmaceutical-grade Pullulan from manufacturers in China holding ISO, Halal, Kosher and other certifications relevant to the product and production. Non-GMO is inherent to the source.
Common market grades include Standard Food Grade (the workhorse for confectionery films and supplement coatings), Capsule Grade (high-purity, low-endotoxin material for vegetarian capsule manufacturing), Film-Forming Grade for breath-strip and dissolving-film products, and Pharmaceutical Grade meeting JP, USP, and EP specifications.
Bulk and reduced-MOQ shipments. Batch-level COA covering molecular weight, viscosity, sugar content, heavy metals, endotoxin (capsule grade), and microbiology.
Introduction
Pullulan was first identified by Bauer in 1938 and brought to industrial scale in Japan by Hayashibara in 1976. The compound has been a defining material in Japanese confectionery and pharmaceutical applications since the 1980s.
Industrial production proceeds by aerobic fermentation of Aureobasidium pullulans on glucose or sucrose substrates, followed by cell removal, decolorization with activated carbon, ultrafiltration, and spray drying. The product is a linear polysaccharide of alpha-1,4 and alpha-1,6 linked maltotriose units.
Regulated as E1204 in the EU, classified as Generally Recognized as Safe by the U.S. FDA, listed in JP and USP pharmacopoeias, and approved by JECFA without a numerical Acceptable Daily Intake limit.
The molecule's defining property is its film-forming behavior: aqueous solutions dry to produce transparent, odorless, tasteless films with oxygen permeability roughly 100 times lower than starch-based films and 1000 times lower than many synthetic polymers. The films are water-soluble, biodegradable, and edible.
Strategic positioning is the premium vegetarian capsule segment and the dissolving-film segment for breath strips and orodispersible drug products. Pullulan capsules carry a clean plant-derived label without the moisture sensitivity that limits HPMC capsules and the animal-source positioning of gelatin, supporting use across vegetarian, halal, and kosher supplement markets.
Where it is used
- Vegetarian capsule shells; the principal plant-based alternative to gelatin and HPMC for nutraceutical and pharmaceutical capsules
- Breath-freshener dissolving films and oral-strip products; the dominant film former in this category
- Edible coatings for fruits, nuts, and confectionery; oxygen-barrier protection extending shelf life
- Surface glazing of confectionery and panned candies
- Dietary supplement and tablet coatings
- Oxygen-barrier packaging films for oxidation-sensitive products
- Cosmetic films and peel-off mask formulations
- Pharmaceutical orodispersible film products for fast-onset drug delivery
- Food-printing inks and edible decoration films
Technical data
| Item | Specification |
|---|---|
| Appearance | White to off-white free-flowing powder |
| Assay (dry basis) | ≥ 90.0% |
| Viscosity (10% solution) | 100 to 180 mm²/s |
| pH (10% solution) | 4.5 to 6.5 |
| Loss on drying | ≤ 6.0% |
| Ash | ≤ 3.0% |
| Mono- and disaccharides | ≤ 6.0% |
| Heavy metals (as Pb) | ≤ 2 mg/kg |
| Arsenic | ≤ 1 mg/kg |
| Total plate count | ≤ 1000 cfu/g |
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