Prebiotic potential and chemical characterization of the poly and oligosaccharides present in the mucilage of Opuntia ficus-indica and Opuntia joconostle. (15th November 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cruz-Rubio, José M.; Mueller, Monika; Viernstein, Helmut; Loeppert, Renate; Praznik, Werner
• Is Part Of: Food chemistry. Volume 362(2021)
• Publication Date: 2021-11-15
• Subjects: Nopal -- Heteropolysaccharides -- Pectic substances -- Dietary fiber -- Gastrointestinal microbiome -- Prebiotics; Food -- Analysis -- Periodicals; Food -- Composition -- Periodicals; 664
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2021.130167
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0308-8146

Abstract

Highlights: Mucilages from two Opuntia spp. were separated into three fractions. Two fractions include high M̅w heteropolysaccharides (4.0 × 10 3 to 8.0 × 10 5 g∙mol −1 ). Previously undescribed oligosaccharides were found bound to the mucilage. Complex-structured β-(1–4) linked heterogalactooligosaccharides were found. Most of the carbohydrate fractions show prebiotic potential. Abstract: The mucilage extracted from the convection-dried cladodes of O. ficus-indica and O. joconostle, two species of economic importance, delivered three fractions after methanol precipitation. Two were composed of high molar mass polysaccharides, and one included water-soluble mono-, di-, and oligosaccharides. The large polysaccharides have a molar mass range of 4.0 × 10 3 to 8.0 × 10 5 g·mol −1 and are consistently composed of galactose, arabinose, xylose, and rhamnose; however, the content of galacturonic acid was different between both fractions and species. Their fermentability by selected probiotics was relatively low, 11–27 % compared to glucose, and decreased with increasing levels of galacturonic acid in the molecules. In the third fraction, previously unreported oligosaccharides were found. These include simple- and complex-structured galactooligosaccharides with arabinosyl-, xylosyl- and galacturonosyl acid residues. Their fermentability by prebiotic species can be ascribed more to their structural characteristics and monosaccharide composition than their molecular dimensions.