Polylysine and its hydrochloride are widely used

ε-polylysine is a homopolymer formed by the amide bonding of the essential amino acid lysine through the α-hydroxyl group and ε-amino group, forming an amino acid linear chain polymer with a polymerization degree between 25 and 35. It is a natural product with antiseptic function purified by ion exchange resin method from the culture medium of controlled fermentation of Amylase Streptomyces coloriforming. Lysine is one of the eight essential amino acids of the human body, ε-polylysine and its hydrochloride will be decomposed into lysine after entering the human digestive tract, which is digested and absorbed by the human body, so ε-polylysine and its hydrochloride are not only nutritious biological preservatives, but also a source of lysine.

ε-polylysine hydrochloride can be broken down into lysine in the human body, and lysine is one of the eight essential amino acids in the human body, and it is also a fortified amino acid allowed to be added in countries around the world. Therefore ε-polylysine hydrochloride is a nutritional bacteriostatic agent with high safety, and its ld50 is 5g/kg.

According to a Japanese ε-polylysine producer, ε-polylysine is a homopolymer connected by 30 l-lysine amide bonds formed by carboxyl and ε-amino groups, and the relative molecular weight of 30 homopolymers is 4700. Experiments with radioisotope-labeled ε-polylysine in mice showed that 94% of ε-polylysine was excreted and not deposited in tissues and organs, and small amounts of ε-polylysine were degraded into lysine or 4-6 polymers. Lysine is an essential amino acid in the human body that can be used by the body to synthesize proteins in human tissues or into the next step of metabolism. The producer also conducted experimental studies of subchronic and chronic toxicology and carcinogenicity, none of which observed significant changes in histopathology. To this end, on July 10, 2003, the manufacturer submitted application materials to the U.S. Drug Administration, requesting the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to identify its product ε-polylysine as a gras (generally recognized as safe) product, and on January 16, 2004, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration responded to the application, approving ε-polylysine as a gras product and designating it as a safe food gras (Announcement no.grn000135). The chemical abstract service registration code for ε-polylysine is 28211-04-03. In accordance with the relevant U.S. law requirements, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's open letter, together with the application information provided by the manufacturer, is open to public inquiry, and all the content can be found and copied on the home page of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Safety Office.

Japan, South Korea and the United States and other countries have approved the wide application of ε-polylysine as a food preservative. In April 2014, China approved ε-polylysine and its hydrochloride as a new variety of food additives, and Zhejiang Xinyixiang Biological Engineering Co., Ltd. is the standard drafting unit for ε-polylysine hydrochloride. In addition to its applications in food processing, ε-polylysine is also used in the catering industry, such as for the preservation of preservatives in rice.

ε-polylysine or its hydrochloride in addition to being used as a food preservative. At present, it has developed a variety of products such as ε-polylysine or its hydrochloride biocellulose antibacterial casing, ε-polylysine/pva composite antibacterial packaging film, ε-polylysine antibacterial hand sanitizer, ε-polylysine antibacterial cotton cloth, ε-polylysine antibacterial water-absorbent sanitary materials, etc., showing broad application prospects in many fields. (Jiang Genqiang)