Hamadan University of Medical Sciences Avicenna Journal of Medical Biochemistry 2345-4113 9 2 2021 12 29 Applications of Microbial Exopolysaccharides in the Food Industry 107 120 10.34172/ajmb.2021.16 EN Sara Basiri https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1201-1498 REVIEW 10.34172/ajmb.2021.16 2021 08 04 2021 10 07 Exopolysaccharides (EPSs) are high molecular weight polysaccharides secreted by microorganisms in the surrounding environment. In addition to the favorable benefits of these compounds for microorganisms, including microbial cell protection, they are used in various food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Investigating the functional and health-promoting characteristics of microbial EPS, identifying the isolation method of these valuable compounds, and their applications in the food industry are the objectives of this study. EPS are used in food industries as thickeners, gelling agents, viscosifiers, and film formers. The antioxidative, anticancer, prebiotic, and cholesterol-lowering effects of some of these compounds make it possible to use them in functional food production.