Metabolism of chicory fructooligosaccharides by bifidobacteria

Two types of chicory fructooligosaccharides (Fibruline Instant and Fibrulose F97) were metabolised by Bifidobacterium longum, B. infantis and B. angulatum. Chromatographic analysis of the medium after 120 h revealed a consumption of all the fructose oligomers present in the commercial chicory fructooligosaccharide mixtures for all the strains. Maximum measurable degree of polymerisation of the substrates before fermentation was 41. The higher biomass production was reached with B. infantis (1.4 and 1.7 g dry wt l^–1) for its cultivation on medium complemented, respectively, with Fibruline Instant and Fibrulose F97 as substrate. These results give the opportunity to use chicory fructooligosaccharides as a prebiotic.