Energy Cane Bagasse As A Source Of Prebiotics

Prebiotics can be grouped into established prebiotics (inulin, fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, lactulose, polydextrose) or emerging prebiotics (isomaltooligosaccharides, xylooligosaccharides (XOS), lactitol). XOS are non-toxic, stable at acidic pH, heat resistant, and can achieve positive biological effects at low daily doses and low caloric content, properties that are the same or more desirable than the already established prebiotics. XOS are present in plants in very low amounts so there is a great opportunity to isolate XOS with varying degrees of polymerization from the hemicellulose (xylan) fraction of lignocellulosic materials (e.g., bagasse), a source that offers both economic and environmental advantages. The thermochemical production of XOS by diluted sulfuric acid hydrolysis of energy cane bagasse was evaluated, as well as the recovery of XOS by the combined use of activated carbon adsorption, water washing and ethanol desorption. The recovered XOS was tested for its prebiotic activity on Bifidobacterium adolescentis ATCC 15703 (a well-established probiotic). The final product of extracted XOS from energy cane bagasse (XOS EC Bagasse crude sample) had a purity of 93%, which was comparable to the purities observed with two commercially available XOS prebiotics (extracted from corncobs), CPA (89%) and CPB (93%). XOS EC Bagasse crude sample exhibited prebiotic properties by stimulating the growth of B. adolescentis ATCC 15703 and by producing lactic acid. The observed prebiotic activities were comparable to the commercial prebiotics CPA, CPB (xylose oligomers) and IMO (glucose oligomers).