This study demonstrated that oligosaccharides from copra meal could be prepared by using a commercial enzyme preparation containing mannanase for use as a prebiotic. The conditions giving the highest hydrolysis rate of the copra meal by the enzyme were pH 4 and temperature of 40 °C with an enzyme to substrate ratio (E/S) of 1092.69 β-mannanase activity unit/g of the dried copra meal. Monosaccharide was the predominant product of the hydrolysis reaction followed by di- and tri-saccharide. Activated carbon treatment of the copra meal hydrolysate reduced the monosaccharide content resulting in 36.13% of monosaccharide, 54.26% of disaccharide and 9.61% of trisaccharide. All monosaccharides were eliminated by incubating the copra meal hydrolysate with Saccharomyces cerevisiae for 48 h, which promoted the growth of B. breve, L. plantrarum, B. bifidum, L. bugaricus, L. acidophilus, L. brevis, L. casei, B. longum, and S. thermophiles while retarding the growth of the pathogenic bacteria, S. aureus and E. coli.
Keywords: Copra meal; Enzymatic hydrolysis; Mannanase; Mannooligosaccharides; Prebiotic.