Effect of irradiation on extraction and rheological properties of schizophyllan from fermented corn cob

γ-rays was used to irradiate the corn cob fermented with Schizophyllum commune, the effect of irradiation under different conditions on extraction rates and rheological properties of schizophyllan were studied. The results showed that, in the irradiation dose range of 5 ∼ 20 kGy, the extraction rate of schizophyllan increased with the increase of material's moisture content under a fixed irradiation dose, the highest yield of schizophyllan was 7.95% at the moisture content of 60% and 10 kGy irradiation. η0 values of schizophyllan solution were decreased with the increase of irradiation dose. At the conditions of 15.0% moisture and 20 kGy irradiation, the zero-shear viscosity η0 reaches a minimum value of 10.79 Pa · s. Irradiation treatment also significantly effected the viscoelasticity of schizophyllan solution, the data of G', G'' and their intersection point-Gx showed similar tendency as that of η0. In conclusion, γ-rays irradiation could degrade and solubilize schizophyllan in fermented corn cob. (authors)