Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei 8700:2 degrades inulin-type fructans exhibiting different degrees of polymerization.
Ten strains of lactobacilli were assessed for their capacity to degrade inulin-type fructans, which are well-known prebiotics. Both oligofructose and inulin were tested. The dairy isolate Lactobacillus acidophilus IBB 801 degraded only oligofructose. The human isolate Lactobacillus paracasei subsp. paracasei 8700:2 degraded oligofructose and long-chain inulin and grew rapidly on both energy sources. In both cases, fractions of different degrees of polymerization were fermented. Moreover, large and short fractions of oligofructose were degraded simultaneously. When L. paracasei subsp. paracasei 8700:2 grew on oligofructose-enriched inulin, oligofructose was preferentially metabolized. In all cases, lactic acid was the main metabolic end product. Significant amounts of acetic acid, formic acid, and ethanol were produced when long-chain inulin or oligofructose-enriched inulin was used as the sole energy source.
Makras
Lefteris
L
Research Group of Industrial Microbiology, Fermentation Technology and Downstream Processing (IMDO), Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Pleinlaan 2, B-1050 Brussels, Belgium.
Van Acker
Gerald
G
De Vuyst
Luc
L
D003470:Culture Media; D019281:Dimerization; D005285:Fermentation; D005630:Fructans / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007444:Inulin / Q000378:metabolism*; D007700:Kinetics; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007778:Lactobacillus / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000378:metabolism
D003470:Culture Media; D005630:Fructans; D009844:Oligosaccharides; C120489:oligofructose; D019344:Lactic Acid; D007444:Inulin