ARS | Publication request: In Vitro Fermentation of Oligosaccharides from Raffinose and Alternansucrase by Human Intestinal Bacteria

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: December 17, 2010
Publication Date: December 17, 2010
Citation: Hernandez-Hernandez, O., Cote, G.L., Rastall, R.A., Sanz, M.L. 2010. In vitro fermentation of oligosaccharides from raffinose and alternansucrase by human intestinal bacteria [abstract]. II Workshop Probioticos, Prebioticos y Salud. Evidencia Cientifica. Abstract #2.

Technical Abstract: The alternansucrases are enzymes involved in the synthesis of oligosaccharides with alternating glycosidic alpha-(1'3), alpha-(1'6) bonds by reactions where there is a donor of glucosyl residues (sucrose) and an acceptor. There are many carbohydrates that have been used as acceptors, including raffinose. It was noted that this trisaccharide has a low digestibility and is selectively fermented by microorganisms in the intestinal flora. The aim of this work was to study the effect on the intestinal microflora of oligosaccharides from raffinose by reactions with sucrose in the presence of alternansucrase. To this end, raffinose oligosaccharides with different degrees of polymerization (DP) were incubated in vitro fermentation systems with human fecal samples from 3 healthy donors under anaerobic conditions at 37°C and controlled pH after 10 and 24 hours. The enumeration of bacteria was performed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), while the production of short chain fatty acids was assessed by HPLC. Also determined the percentage of gas produced from these samples according Ghoddusi et al. The oligosaccharides from raffinose showed significant growth of the population of bifidobacteria during 10h and 24h of incubation and no significant differences in the growth of Clostridia. Gas production after 24 h of fermentation was higher for high molecular weight oligosaccharides, although it was similar to that produced during the fermentation of inulin, a known commercial prebiotic.