POLYSACCHARIDE, USE AS A THICKENING AGENT AND AS AN ANTI-TUMOUR AGENT

摘要

The invention relates to a new polysaccharide of molecular mass of the order of one million, consisting of a repetition of a tetrasaccharide unit composed of galactose, glucose and N-acetylgalactosamine in the mole ratios 2:1:1, respectively. This polysaccharide is used as a texture-thickening agent, especially for fermented milk type products such as yogurt. It is also useful as a medicament as an anti-tumour agent. This polysaccharide may be produced by the bacterium Streptococcus thermophilus, cultured under the same conditions as the conditions for manufacture of yogurt.