Larch Arabinogalactan CAS 9036-66-2

Larch arabinogalactan is extracted from the heartwood of the western larch Larix occidentalis. These arabinogalactans have a backbone of (1,3)-linked β -D-galactopyranosyl units each of which containa a side chain at position C-6.

Most of these side chains are galacrobiosyl units containing a-(1,6)-β-D-linkage. Another side chain type that occurs is a single L-arabinofuranose unit or 3-O-(β-L-arabinopyranosyl)-a -L-arabinofuranosyl units. Applications for the arabinogalactan are as emulsifiers, stabilisers and binders in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries.

More recently interest has been focussed on the use of this polysaccharide as a low viscosity dietary fibre and as a probiotic.