Polysaccharides
are an important class of biomolecules derived
from several sources. However, the inherent structure of polysaccharides
prevents them from exhibiting favorable physicochemical properties,
which restricts their development in agriculture, industry, food,
and biomedicine. This paper systematically summarizes the changes
in the primary and advanced structures of modified polysaccharides,
and focuses on the effects of various modification methods on the
hydrophobicity, rheological properties, emulsifying properties, antioxidant
activity, hypoglycemic, and hypolipidemic activities of polysaccharides.
Then there is a list the applications of modified polysaccharides
in treating heavy metal pollutants, purifying water resources, improving
beverage stability and bread quality, and precisely delivering the
drug. When summarized and reviewed, the information above can shed
further light on the relationship between polysaccharide structure
and function. Determining the structure–activity relationship
provides a scientific basis for the direction of molecular modifications
of polysaccharides.