Development of an outdoor cultivation process with shading for Amorphophallus konjac, as well as extraction, purification of its Glucomannans to examin its functionalities in formulations of in various food products

Glucomannans belong to the group of polysaccharides and are used in Germany and Europe as additives in foods and various medical and cosmetic product. Glucomannans carry the European approval number E 425 and are listed in the functional classes of thickeners, emulsifiers, fillers and gelling agents.

Glucomannan is primarily derived from the konjac plant (Amorphophallus konjac). At present, Konjac tubers are mainly used for the production of glucomannans. For Germany and Europe, the commercial cultivation conditions of Konjac are largely unclear. Essential questions concerning the cultivation method (crop density, harvest times, wintering / frost hardness, handling of rhizome runners) as well as the choice of shading (intercropping with other plants, e.g. maize) and the required intensity of shading (shading nets) to promote Glucomannan formation are unclear and open. Therefore, the aim of this project is the development of a field cultivation method with shading for the konjac plants. Moreover, the extraction and purification of glucomannan from konjac tubers and examining different matrix formulations for the production and use of glucomannans from Konjac (Amorphophallus konjac) in different food products are the other objectives of this project.