[Biosynthesis and application of curdlan].

Curdlan is a water-insoluble β-1,3-glucan synthesized by microorganisms under nitrogen-limited conditions. It possesses unique physicochemical properties, such as gelation ability, freeze-thaw stability, water-holding capacity, and thickening capability, and is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In recent years, with the rapid development of the alternative protein (NeoProtein) sector, curdlan has demonstrated outstanding application potentials by significantly improving the fidelity and texture quality of meat analogues through matrix texture modification, animal fat mimicry, and flavor release modulation, and its efficient bio-manufacturing technology has thus become a research hotspot. This review analyzes and summarizes the structure and function, application areas, biosynthesis and regulatory mechanisms, and advances in biosynthesis technology of curdlan, and proposes future directions for trends for the development of curdlan biosynthesis technology, thereby providing theoretical support for future strain improvement, fermentation process optimization, and application exploration for curdlan biomanufacturing.