Besides being a source of energy, few other functions have been described for galactogen in the snail eggs, and all of them are related to embryo defense and protection. Given that carbohydrates retain water, the high amount of this polysaccharide would protect the eggs from desiccation from those snails that have aerial oviposition. Besides, the high viscosity that the polysaccharide may confer to the perivitelline fluid has been suggested as a potential antimicrobial defense.
Since galactogen is a β-linked polysaccharide, such as cellulose or hemicelluloses, specific biochemical adaptations are needed to exploit it as a nutrient, such as specific glycosidases. However, apart from snail embryos and hatchlings, no animal seems to be able to catabolize galactogen, including adult snails. This fact led to consider galactogen as part of an antipredation defense system exclusive of gastropods, deterring predators by lowering the nutritional value of eggs.