In vitro fermentation of alternansucrase raffinose-derived oligosaccharides by human gut bacteria

J Agric Food Chem. 2011 Oct 26;59(20):10901-6. doi: 10.1021/jf202466s. Epub 2011 Sep 30.

Abstract

In this work, in vitro fermentation of alternansucrase raffinose-derived oligosaccharides, previously fractionated according to their degree of polymerization (DP; from DP4 to DP10), was carried out using small-scale pH-controlled batch cultures at 37 °C under anaerobic conditions with human feces. Bifidogenic activity of oligosaccharides with DP4-6 similar to that of lactulose was observed; however, in general, a significant growth of lactic acid bacteria Bacteroides , Atopobium cluster, and Clostridium histolyticum group was not shown during incubation. Acetic acid was the main short chain fatty acid (SCFA) produced during the fermentation process; the highest levels of this acid were shown by alternansucrase raffinose acceptor pentasaccharides at 10 h (63.11 mM) and heptasaccharides at 24 h (54.71 mM). No significant differences between the gas volume produced by the mixture of raffinose-based oligosaccharides (DP5-DP10) and inulin after 24 h of incubation were detected, whereas lower gas volume was generated by DP4 oligosaccharides. These findings indicate that novel raffinose-derived oligosaccharides (DP4-DP10) could be a new source of prebiotic carbohydrates.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Bacteria / metabolism*
  • Fatty Acids, Volatile / biosynthesis
  • Feces / microbiology*
  • Female
  • Fermentation*
  • Glycosyltransferases / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lactic Acid / biosynthesis
  • Male
  • Oligosaccharides / metabolism*
  • Raffinose / metabolism*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Volatile
  • Oligosaccharides
  • Lactic Acid
  • Glycosyltransferases
  • alternansucrase
  • Raffinose