Abstract
Functional foods provide health benefit beyond nutrition and target body functions. They play an important role in modern nutrition which is expected to promote health and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. One of the most urgent tasks concerns the conditions for health claims are prebiotic nondigestible fructooligosaccharide (FOS) which selectively stimulate the activity of bacterial populations already resident in the consumer’s intestinal tract. A newly fructosyl transferase (FTase) producer microorganism Aspergillus flavus (NFCCI 2364) was investigated for conversion of sucrose to fructooligosaccharides. The effect of fermentation parameters on fructosyltransferase was evaluated to enhance biotransformation of sucrose to fructooligosaccharides. By altering certain parameters, best transfructosylating activity was observed from cultivation medium containing pH 6 at agitation speed of 200 rpm. Various carbon and nitrogen sources were used to enhance enzyme production and highest yield was obtained when media were optimized by applying 10% (w/v) sucrose as sole carbon source and 1% (w/v) peptone as best nitrogen source. In enzyme substrate reaction of 24 h, fructooligosaccharide yield was elevated up to 68.38% (w/w) using sucrose concentration 60% (w/v). The HPLC analysis elucidates Kestose (GF2) as main constituent oligomer than other saccharides which is beneficial for its sweetening capability
