Polysaccharides, which can be obtained from a variety of different sources,
have important industrial applications owing to their properties in solution. Considering
the wide variety of plant species found in Brazilian flora, the achievement of these
biopolymers from plant seeds is highly promising. In view of this potential, various
research groups from Brazil have been investigating several plant species as a source of
these natural polymers. These studies include structural elucidation, modification, and
industrial application using several approaches. Therefore, the aim of this chapter is to
review the results from studies of native Brazilian sources of polysaccharides,
especially galactomannans and xyloglucans, to inspire commercial exploitation of these
unconventional sources.
Keywords: Brazilian seeds, Carbohydrate, Galactomannan, Hemicellulose,
HPSEC-MALLS, Hydrocolloids, Interaction, Leguminosae, Macromolecular
analysis, NMR, Nonstarch polysaccharides, Physicochemical analysis,
Polysaccharide derivatives, Polysaccharide interaction, Rheology, Structural
analysis, Thickener agent, Vegetal polysaccharide, Viscosity, Xyloglucan.