Soybean whey is a high-yield but low-utilization agricultural by-product in China. In this study, soybean whey was used as a substrate of fermentation by Lacticaseibacillus plantarum 70810 strains. An exopolysaccharide (LPEPS-1) was isolated from soybean whey fermentation by L. plantarum 70810 and purified by ion-exchange chromatography. Its preliminary structural characteristics and antioxidant activity were investigated. Results show that LPEPS-1 was composed of mannose, glucose, and galactose with molar ratios of 1.49:1.67:1.00. The chemical structure of LPEPS-1 consisted of →4)-α-D-Glcp-(1→, →3)-α-D-Galp-(1→ and →2)-α-D-Manp-(1→. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) revealed that LPEPS-1 had a relatively rough surface. In addition, LPPES-1 exhibited strong scavenging activity against DPPH and superoxide radicals and chelating ability on ferrous ion. This study demonstrated that soybean whey was a feasible fermentation substrate for the production of polysaccharide from L. plantarum 70810 and that the polysaccharide could be used as a promising ingredient for health-beneficial functional foods.
Keywords: Lacticaseibacillus plantarum 70810; antioxidant activity; fermentation; polysaccharide; soybean whey; structure characterization.