Antioxidant and Immunomodulatory Effect of a β-glucan Fiber From Saccharomyces Cerevisiae

Β-glucans are linear polymers of glucose of high molecular weight that are found naturally in the cell wall of various living organisms such as bacteria, yeast, fungi and plants; They are widely used in food companies as texturizers. Scientific studies suggest that the consumption of β-glucans would be associated with benefits for human health such as reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases and strengthening the immune system. These effects depend on their source of origin; those from cereals have been attributed beneficial metabolic properties and those that come from yeast immunostimulating properties. Yeast β-glucans are believed to be potent immunomodulators with effects on innate and adaptive immunity. This effect could be due to the ability to stimulate receptors of the immune system present in the membrane of enterocytes, M cells and dendritic cells, improving the phagocytic activity of macrophages and the antimicrobial activity of mononuclear cells and neutrophils. Due to this property, β-glucans are being used more and more for the development of functional foods in several countries of the world. However, the effect of yeast β-glucans on the stimulation of the immune response has not yet been accurately documented; Therefore, the present investigation aims to establish the performance of a β-glucan fiber from S. cerevisiae in antioxidant and immunomodulatory activity in healthy volunteers.