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Research: CHOU and COLLEAGUES,
Listed in Issue 218
Abstract
CHOU and COLLEAGUES, Dept. of Food Science and Biotechnology, Natl. Chung Hsing Univ., 250 Kuokuang Rd., Taichung city 40227, Taiwan, ROC describe how polysaccharides from mushroom wastes for use as prebiotics can enhance the survival rate of various probiotic species during cold storage.
Background
The bases or stipes of mushrooms are normally discarded as low-economic value animal feed and compost. There are no known reports on deriving polysaccharides from these mushroom wastes for use as prebiotics.
Methodology
This study showed that the relatively low concentration (0.1% to 0.5%) of polysaccharides from Lentinula edodes stipe, Pleurotus eryngii base, and Flammulina velutipes base can enhance the survival rate of Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus casei, and Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum during cold storage.
Results
The polysaccharides had synergistic effects with the peptides and amino acids from a yogurt culture to maintain probiotics above 10(7) CFU/mL during cold storage, and they also had significant protective effects on these probiotics in simulated gastric and bile juice conditions to achieve beneficial effects in the host.
Conclusion
These results showed that mushroom wastes, which are cheaper than other sources, could be an important, new, alternative source of prebiotics.
References
Chou WT, Sheih IC and Fang TJ. The applications of polysaccharides from various mushroom wastes as prebiotics in different systems. Journal of Food Science. 78(7): M1041-8, Jul 2013.
