In vitro digestibility and prebiotic potential of curdlan (1 → 3)-β-d-glucan oligosaccharides in Lactobacillus species.

Prebiotic effects of curdlan (1 → 3)-β-d-glucan oligosaccharides (GOS) were examined. GOS was tolerant against simulated gastrointestinal digestion, as well as low pH, thermal, and Maillard reaction conditions likely occurred during food processing. Growth of tested Lactobacillus (L.) strains was improved by GOS except L. brevis NRRL B-4527. E. coli did not grow on GOS as the only carbon source. In vitro batch fermentation using human faecal microbiota showed that GOS significantly increased the population of Lactobacillus sp. followed by Bifidobacterium sp. and Bacteroides sp. Growth of L. strains on GOS produced lactic acid, acetic, and propionic acid with decreased culture medium pH. Utilization pattern of GOS by representative L. strains was strain dependent. GOS with degree of polymerization (DP) of 2 and 3 were readily consumed. Findings here indicated that curdlan GOS (DP = 2 and 3) are promising physiologically active prebiotics for improvement of human intestinal health.