Yeast Beta-Glucan Capsules

Yeast beta-glucan is a glucose homopolymer, (C6H10O5)n, built on a beta-(1 to 3) linked backbone carrying beta-(1 to 6) branch points, isolated from the cell wall of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Typical molecular mass runs 100 to 200 kDa. It should not be confused with cereal beta-glucan from oat or barley, which is a linear mixed-linkage (1,3)/(1,4) polymer with different solubility and viscosity behaviour and a different assay: the enzymatic yeast and mushroom kit used here corrects for alpha-glucan, free glucose and trehalose and is not interchangeable with the cereal mixed-linkage method. Thovek supplies the isolate already filled into hard capsules at 250 mg or 500 mg. The specification anchors are public. In the EU, yeast beta-glucans were authorised as a novel food ingredient by Commission Implementing Decision 2011/762/EU, with insoluble product at not less than 70% carbohydrate as beta-glucans and soluble product at not less than 75%. Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2017/2078 extended the permitted uses and sets the tighter specification of more than 80% (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-D-glucan, ash below 2%, moisture below 6%, protein below 4% and total fat below 3%, with food supplement maxima of 1.275 g/day for adults and children of 12 years and over and 0.675 g/day below 12. In the United States, FDA issued a no-questions response to GRAS notice GRN 000239 for bakers yeast beta-glucan on 22 July 2008, covering named food categories at up to 200 mg per serving; US dietary supplement use sits under DSHEA and is not covered by that notice, so importers should confirm their own route. Origin and diet status are worth pinning down at the enquiry stage. The source organism is primary-grown baker's yeast propagated on cane or beet molasses, not spent brewer's yeast recovered from beer, so there is no barley or malt carry-over and the material is declared free of gluten-containing cereals; brewer's spent yeast can retain residual gluten and is not used for this line. The default hypromellose shell makes the finished capsule vegan and titanium-dioxide-free. A bovine gelatin shell is available on request and changes the diet declaration, so confirm the shell before artwork is signed off. There are no milk, egg, soy, fish, crustacean, peanut or tree nut inputs. Thovek describes composition and specification only and makes no therapeutic claim; claim wording in the destination market is the brand owner's responsibility.