(1)H NMR analysis of the lactose/β-galactosidase-derived galacto-oligosaccharide components of Vivinal® GOS up to DP5.

Vivinal® GOS is a galacto-oligosaccharide (GOS) product, prepared from lactose by incubation with Bacillus circulans β-galactosidase (EC 3.2.1.23). This complex mixture of saccharides with degree of polymerization (DP) between 1 and 8 is generally applied in infant nutrition. Here, a detailed structural description of the commercial product up to the DP5 level is given. First, Vivinal® GOS was subjected to DP analysis using HPLC-SEC (Rezex RSO-01 oligosaccharide Ag(+) column) and (1)H NMR analysis. Then, the product was fractionated on Bio-Gel P-2, and the obtained fractions were pooled according to DP, as indicated by MALDI-TOF-MS analysis. Finally, fractions of single DP, as well as their subfractions obtained by HPAEC-PAD on CarboPac PA-1, were analyzed by 1D/2D (1)H/(13)C NMR spectroscopy and linkage analysis. In total, over 40 structures, providing a structural coverage of over 99% of the product, have been characterized. Detailed (1)H and (13)C NMR data, as well as G.U. values (glucose units; malto-oligosaccharide ladder) on CarboPac PA-1 of all oligosaccharides are included.