title: Recent insights in enzymatic synthesis of fructooligosaccharides from inulin.
abstract: In the past few years, people are paying more attention to their dietary habits, and functional foods are playing a key role in maintaining the health of man. Prebiotics are considered as a main component of the functional foods which are usually composed of short chains of carbohydrates. Fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) are considered as one of the main group of prebiotics which have recognisable bifidogenic properties. FOSs are obtained either by extraction from various plant materials or by enzymatic synthesis from different substrates. Enzymatically, these can be obtained either from sucrose using fructosyltransferase or from inulin by endoinulinase. Inulin is a potent substrate for the enzymatic production of FOSs. This review article will provide an overview on the inulin as potent substrate, microbial sources of endoinulinases, enzymatic synthesis of FOSs from inulin, commercial status of FOSs, and their future perspectives.
authors.affiliation: Carbohydrate and Protein Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology Punjabi University, Patiala 147 002, Punjab, India. Electronic address: rssingh11@lycos.com.
authors.forename: Ram Sarup
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Carbohydrate and Protein Biotechnology Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology Punjabi University, Patiala 147 002, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Rupinder Pal
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Chembiotech Laboratories, Advanced Science and Technology Institute, 5 The Croft, Buntsford Drive, Stoke Heath, Bromsgrove, Worcs B60 4JE, UK.
authors.forename: John F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Kennedy
mesh_terms: D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases / Q000737:chemistry; D007444:Inulin / Q000737:chemistry*; D009844:Oligosaccharides / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013395:Sucrose / Q000737:chemistry; D001426:Bacterial Proteins
chemical_list: D006026:Glycoside Hydrolases; D006602:Hexosyltransferases; D007444:Inulin; D009844:Oligosaccharides; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D013395:Sucrose; C116580:fructooligosaccharide; C021451:inulosucrase; D001426:Bacterial Proteins
keywords: Bifidogenic; Endoinulinases; Fructooligosaccharides; Fructosyltransferase; Inulin; Prebiotics