Use of mannooligosaccharides from coffee mannan by intestinal bacteria

Abstract

A mannooligosaccharide mixture was obtained by hydrolysis of spent coffee grounds. Furthermore, β-1,4-D-mannobiose, β-1,4-D-mannotriose, β-1,4-D-mannotetraose, and β-1,4-D-mannopentaose were fractionated by active carbon chromatography from this mixture. Each mannooligosaccharide were investigated for its effect on the growth of established enterobacterial strains. Regardless of the mannooligosaccharide molecular weight, all mannooligosaccharides were used by Bifidobacterium adolescentis, Lactobacillus acidophilus, and Lactobacillus gasseri. On the other hand, bad bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens and Escherichia coli that produce mutagenic substances could not use mannooligosaccharides. Therefore it could be expected that mannooligosaccharides had a potential to promote the improvement of healthful human intestinal microflora as prebiotics.