mannan

[ man-an, -uhn ]

noun

, Biochemistry.

1. any of a group of polysaccharides, found in the ivory nut, carob bean, and the like, that yield mannose upon hydrolysis.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mannan¹

First recorded in 1890–95; mann(ose) + -an

Example Sentences

Instead, “to my surprise, it's very rich in mannan, a type of polysaccharide common in plants, but nowhere near the quantity present in acai,” she says.

From National Geographic

While certain types of wood have up to 15 percent of mannan, this carbohydrate molecule is responsible for 50 percent of an acai seed’s weight.

From National Geographic

Silva’s research developed ways to break down mannan into mannose, a valuable sugar with potential applications in the cosmetic, pharmaceutical, and food industries.

From National Geographic

Silva’s group has obtained a patent from the Brazilian government to convert mannan into mannose and to make it into a prebiotic called mannan oligosaccharide.

From National Geographic

Testing the adjuvants against other bacteria and tweaking the recipe as they went, the researchers landed on another combo—aluminum hydroxide, monophosphoryl lipid A, and a fungal compound called mannan—that provided even better protection and worked against more hospital-associated microbes.

From Science Magazine