title: Physicochemical characterization of fructooligosaccharides and evaluation of their suitability as a potential sweetener for diabetics.
abstract: Fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) were prepared from sucrose using fungal fructosyl transferase (FTase) obtained from Aspergillus oryzae MTCC 5154. The resulting mixture consisted of glucose (28-30%), sucrose (18-20%) and fructooligosaccharides (50-54%) as indicated by HPLC analysis. Identification of oligomers present in the mixture of fructooligosaccharides was carried out using NMR spectroscopy and LC-MS. No compounds other than mono-, di-, tri-, tetra- and pentasaccharides were identified in the FOS mixture prepared using FTase. NMR and LC-MS spectra proved the absence of any toxic microbial metabolites of Aspergillus species in FOS thereby emphasizing its safe use as a food ingredient. Animal studies conducted on streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats suggested that the use of FOS as an alternative non-nutrient sweetener is without any adverse effects on various diabetes-related metabolic parameters. Despite the high free-sugar content associated with it, FOS did not further aggravate the hyperglycemia and glucosuria in diabetic animals, even at 10% levels. On the other hand, by virtue of its soluble fibre effect, it has even alleviated diabetic-related metabolic complications to a certain degree.
authors.affiliation: Department of Fermentation Technology and Bioengineering, Central Food Technological Research Institute, Mysore 570 020, India.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Mabel
authors.forename: P T
authors.initials: PT
authors.lastname: Sangeetha
authors.forename: Kalpana
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Platel
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Srinivasan
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Prapulla
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001230:Aspergillus / Q000201:enzymology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus; D005503:Food Additives / Q000737:chemistry; D005632:Fructose / Q000737:chemistry*; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000378:metabolism; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000178:diet therapy; D009682:Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy; D013058:Mass Spectrometry; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D051381:Rats; D013395:Sucrose / Q000378:metabolism; D013549:Sweetening Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000737:chemistry*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins
chemical_list: D005503:Food Additives; D005632:Fructose; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D013395:Sucrose; D013549:Sweetening Agents; C021451:inulosucrase; D001426:Bacterial Proteins