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Synthesis and purification of galacto-oligosaccharides: state of the art

World Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology volume 32, Article number: 197 (2016) Cite this article

Abstract

Lactose-derived non-digestible oligosaccharides are prominent components of functional foods. Among them, galacto-oligosaccharides (GOS) outstand for being prebiotics whose health-promoting effects are supported on strong scientific evidences, having unique properties as substitutes of human milk oligosaccharides in formulas for newborns and infants. GOS are currently produced enzymatically in a kinetically-controlled reaction of lactose transgalactosylation catalyzed by β-galactosidases from different microbial strains. The enzymatic synthesis of GOS, although being an established technology, still offers many technological challenges and opportunities for further development that has to be considered within the framework of functional foods which is the most rapidly expanding market within the food sector. This paper presents the current technological status of GOS production, its main achievements and challenges. Most of the problems yet to be solved refer to the rather low GOS yields attainable that rarely exceed 40 %, corresponding to lactose conversions around 60 %. This means that the product or reaction (raw GOS) contains significant amounts of residual lactose and monosaccharides (glucose and galactose). Efforts to increase such yields have been for the most part unsuccessful, even though improvements by genetic and protein engineering strategies are to be expected in the near future. Low yields impose a burden on downstream processing to obtain a GOS product of the required purity. Different strategies for raw GOS purification are reviewed and their technological significance is appraised.

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Fig. 1

Abbreviations

CEP:

Crude enzyme preparation

CMR:

Continuous membrane reactor

CPBR:

Continuous packed bed reactor

CSTR:

Continuously stirred tank reactor

FOS:

Fructo-oligosaccharides

GOS:

Galacto-oligosaccharides

HMOS:

Human milk oligosaccharides

MWCO:

Molecular weight cut-off

NDOS:

Non-digestible oligosaccharides

NF:

Nanofiltration

PBR:

Packed bed reactors

PEP:

Purified enzyme preparation

PF:

Purification factor

PI:

Prebiotic index

Pu:

Percentage of purity

RBR:

Recycle-batch reactor

SCFA:

Short chain fatty acids

SMB:

Simulated moving bed chromatography

TMP:

Transmembrane pressure

UF-MBR:

Ultrafiltration membrane bioreactor

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Acknowledgments

This work was developed within the framework of the following grants: Fondecyt 1130059, Fondecyt 1160216, Fondecyt Postdoctoral 3140259 and the scholarships 21120651 and 22160912, Conicyt, Chile. Dr. Andrés Córdova was a postdoctoral fellow of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso 2016.

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  1. School of Biochemical Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Av. Brasil, 2085, Valparaíso, Chile

    Carlos Vera, Carla Aburto, Cecilia Guerrero, Sebastián Suárez & Andrés Illanes

  2. School of Food Engineering, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, Waddington 716, Playa Ancha, Valparaíso, Chile

    Andrés Córdova

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  1. Carlos Vera
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  2. Andrés Córdova
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  4. Cecilia Guerrero
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Correspondence to Andrés Córdova.

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Vera, C., Córdova, A., Aburto, C. et al. Synthesis and purification of galacto-oligosaccharides: state of the art. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 32, 197 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11274-016-2159-4

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Keywords

  • Galacto-oligosaccharides
  • Prebiotic
  • Lactose
  • Enzymatic synthesis
  • Downstream