Product Introduction

Xylo-oligosaccharides, also known as xylose oligosaccharides, are functional polymers composed of 2-7 xylose molecules linked by β-1,4 glycosidic bonds. Compared to other commonly used oligosaccharides like soybean oligosaccharides, fructo-oligosaccharides, and isomalto-oligosaccharides, it has unique advantages. It can selectively promote the proliferation of Bifidobacterium in the gut, with a bifidus factor function that is 10-20 times higher than other oligosaccharides.

  1. Xylo-oligosaccharides are difficult to be decomposed by human digestive enzymes.
  2. Digestion experiments with saliva, gastric juice, pancreatic juice, and small intestine enzymes show that xylo-oligosaccharides are hardly decomposed by any digestive fluids, providing nearly zero energy value. It does not affect blood sugar levels or increase insulin levels in the blood, nor does it lead to fat accumulation. Therefore, it can be used in low-energy foods, meeting the needs of those who enjoy sweets but are concerned about diabetes and obesity, making it safe for consumption by diabetics, obese individuals, and those with low blood sugar.
  3. Excellent acid and heat stability, difficult to ferment.
  4. Compared to other oligosaccharides, xylo-oligosaccharides are notably stable. Even when heated to 100℃ under acidic conditions (pH=2.5-7), they do not decompose significantly, while some functional oligosaccharides easily break down under acidic conditions, reducing their ability to promote the proliferation of Bifidobacterium.
  5. Low effective intake required.
  6. Effective daily intake doses for other functional oligosaccharides:
    • Fructo-oligosaccharides: 5.0—20.0g
    • Galacto-oligosaccharides: 8.0—10.0g
    • Soybean oligosaccharides: 3.0—10.0g
    • Isomalto-oligosaccharides: 15.0—20.0g
    • Xylo-oligosaccharides: 0.7-1.4g/day

Production Process

Xylo-oligosaccharides are produced using wheat or corn straw as raw materials through steam explosion or high-pressure cooking methods, followed by enzymatic hydrolysis using xylanase.

  1. Enzymatic Hydrolysis
  2. Xylo-oligosaccharides are primarily produced by enzymatically hydrolyzing xylan with xylanase derived from microorganisms. This method is currently the main production method for xylo-oligosaccharides, with research focused on optimizing the process parameters due to variations in raw materials and enzymes.
  1. Acid Hydrolysis
  2. This method uses acid under specific conditions to degrade xylan into xylo-oligosaccharides. While acid hydrolysis is fast and effective, it requires high temperatures, involves complex refining processes, and produces too many harmful by-products, resulting in low yields. Therefore, it is often combined with other methods.
  1. Other Methods
  2. Ultrasound-assisted preparation involves using ultrasonic vibrations to break chemical bonds in macromolecular substances, altering surface structures and facilitating the binding of raw materials with enzymes or chemical reagents, thus releasing degradable polysaccharides. Ultrasound-assisted extraction can improve the extraction rate of xylo-oligosaccharides.

Benefits and Effects

  1. Reduces toxic fermentation products and harmful bacterial enzymes.
  2. Studies in the body and with cultured feces show that within three weeks of intake, the body can reduce the production of toxic fermentation products by 44.6% and harmful bacterial enzymes by 40.9%.
  3. Inhibits pathogenic bacteria and prevents diarrhea.
  4. Xylo-oligosaccharides have a strong affinity for pathogenic bacteria such as E. coli, Salmonella enteritidis, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Aeromonas hydrophila, which can attach to xylo-oligosaccharides. Since xylo-oligosaccharides are not broken down by digestive enzymes in the intestine, they can carry the attached pathogens out of the body through the intestines, preventing diseases from clustering in the intestines and achieving anti-diarrheal effects.
  5. Prevents constipation.
  6. Bifidobacterium utilizes xylo-oligosaccharides to produce a large amount of short-chain fatty acids, which can stimulate intestinal peristalsis, increase stool moisture, and maintain a certain osmotic pressure, thereby preventing constipation.
  7. Enhances the body’s immunity and has anti-cancer properties.
  8. Numerous studies have shown that the massive proliferation of Bifidobacterium in the intestines can play an anti-cancer role. This anti-cancer effect is attributed to the cells, cell wall components, and extracellular secretions of Bifidobacterium, which improve the body’s immunity.
  9. Has good compatibility.
  10. Studies show that a small daily intake of xylo-oligosaccharides in the diet can have health benefits. When xylo-oligosaccharides are consumed with calcium, they not only do not affect calcium absorption but can also enhance it. Test results show that after consuming a 2% xylo-oligosaccharide solution for seven days, the body’s calcium retention rate increased by 21%.
  1. Promotes the production of various nutrients in the body, including vitamins B1, B2, B6, B12, niacin, and folic acid.
  2. Prevents and protects against tooth decay and inhibits the growth of oral bacteria.
  3. Tooth decay is caused by the erosion of oral microorganisms, especially streptococci. Xylo-oligosaccharides are not suitable substrates for these oral microorganisms, so they do not cause tooth decay, thereby inhibiting the growth of oral bacteria.

Food Applications: Health foods, food, medicine, beauty

Medical and health products: Gastrointestinal dysfunction, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, arteriosclerosis, tooth decay patients

Dairy beverages: Milk powder, liquid milk, yogurt, lactic acid bacteria beverages, carbonated drinks

Food: Table foods, baked goods, condiments, desserts, snacks, various canned foods, candies

Feed: Used as a feed additive to replace antibiotics

Packaging and Storage

Storage Conditions: Store in a sealed, light-blocking, cool, dry, and well-ventilated place

Packaging: 25kg/fiber drum for bulk, 1kg/aluminum foil bag for samples; custom packaging available upon request

Shipping: Courier or logistics, domestic courier delivery within three days, logistics within five days. Prices generally include domestic shipping

Shelf Life: Two years

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