Review of sialic acid’s biochemistry, sources, extraction and functions with special reference to edible bird’s nest

• Published in: Food chemistry Vol. 367; p. 130755
• Main Authors: Ling, Alvin Jin Wei, Chang, Lee Sin, Babji, Abdul Salam, Latip, Jalifah, Koketsu, Mamoru, Lim, Seng Joe
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 15.01.2022
• Subjects: Edible bird’s nest; Extraction; Glycoconjugates; N-acetylneuraminic acid; Neuraminidase; Sialic acid; Sialic acid; Extraction; Glycoconjugates; Neuraminidase; Edible bird’s nest; N-acetylneuraminic acid
• ISSN: 0308-8146; 1873-7072
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130755

•Edible bird’s nest contained Neu5Ac, the most abundant sialic acid.•Sialic acid is linked glycosidically with glycan to display diverse functions.•Enzymatic hydrolysis offers better quality of extracted sialic acid over acid hydrolysis.•Detection without derivatisation is preferable but rarely reported.•Sialic acid is essential nutrient to fulfil several significant biological functions. Sialic acids are a group of nine-carbon α-keto acids. Sialic acid exists in more than 50 forms, with the natural types discovered as N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac), deaminoneuraminic acid (2-keto-3-deoxy-nonulononic acid or Kdn), and N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc). Sialic acid level varies depending on the source, where edible bird’s nest (EBN), predominantly Neu5Ac, is among the major sources of sialic acid. Due to its high nutritive value and complexity, sialic acid has been studied extensively through acid, aqueous, and enzymatic extraction. Although detection by chromatographic methods or mass spectrometry is common, the isolation and recovery work remained limited. Sialic acid is well-recognised for its bioactivities, including brain and cognition development, immune-enhancing, anti-hypertensive, anticancer, and skin whitening properties. Therefore, sialic acid can be used as a functional ingredient in the various industries. This paper reviews the current trend in the biochemistry, sources, extraction, and functions of sialic acids with special reference to EBN.