An improved process of isomaltooligosaccharide production in kimchi involving the addition of a Leuconostoc starter and sugars.

Isomaltooligosaccharides (IMOs) are α-(1→6)-linked oligodextrans that show a prebiotic effect on Bifidobacterium spp. This study sought to improve IMO synthesis during lactate fermentation in kimchi by inoculating the kimchi fermentation mix with a starter and sugars; the psychrotrophic Leuconostoc citreum KACC 91035 strain with high dextransucrase activity was used as a starter and sucrose (58 mM) and maltose (56 mM) were added as the donor and acceptor for the glucose-transferring reaction of the dextransucrase, respectively. With the addition of both the starter and the sugars and incubation at 10°C, IMOs were produced in kimchi after 3d. Without the starter, the IMO production rate and maximal concentration in kimchi were 15.05 mM/d and 75.27 mM, respectively, whereas with the starter, the rate and concentration increased to 22.04 mM/d and 110.19 mM, respectively. In addition, the sucrose-maltose mix gave an appropriate level of sweetness by releasing fructose and prevented unfavorable polymer synthesis by IMO production. This result suggests that lactic acid bacteria expressing a highly active glycosyltransferase can be used for the synthesis of beneficial oligosaccharides in various fermented foods.