Prebiotic Formulation with 2'-FLol from Reducing Fermentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional processes produce low levels of 2'-fucosyllactitol (2'-FLol) as a byproduct during microbial fermentation of 2'-fucosyllactose (2'-FL), limiting the development of robust prebiotic systems that require increased levels of both compounds for optimal gut health benefits.
Innovation Solution
A process involving microbial fermentation under reducing conditions to produce 2'-FLol at increased levels, followed by isolation, purification, and concentration steps to form a prebiotic solids product containing 0.5 to 6.0 wt.% 2'-FLol and 86.0 to 94.0 wt.% 2'-FL, with optional heat treatment to deactivate microorganisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If conventional microbial fermentation is used to produce 2'-FL, then 2'-FL production is achieved, but 2'-FLol levels remain low as only a minor byproduct
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the redox potential of the fermentation medium through the addition of reducing agents (ascorbic acid, dithiothreitol, or dithioerytritol at concentrations of 0.1-10 mM). This chemical parameter modification shifts the fermentation metabolism to increase 2'-FLol production from trace levels to 0.5-6.0 wt.% of the total prebiotic solids, directly resolving the contradiction between maintaining fermentation productivity and increasing 2'-FLol quantity.
2Reliability
If 2'-FL is used alone as a prebiotic, then prebiotic effect is provided, but the system lacks robustness against premature hydrolysis during storage or meal preparation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a composite prebiotic material system by combining 2'-FL with 2'-FLol in specific ratios (0.5-6.0 wt.% 2'-FLol with 86.0-94.0 wt.% 2'-FL). This composite formulation provides functional robustness because 2'-FLol serves as a stable reservoir that can be hydrolyzed to 2'-FL in the gut, ensuring prebiotic activity is maintained even if some 2'-FL degrades during storage or preparation. The complexity increase is minimal, involving only compositional adjustment rather than structural complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The process effectively produces a prebiotic formulation with enhanced levels of 2'-FLol, ensuring stability and efficacy in stimulating beneficial gut microbiota, providing a more robust prebiotic system than 2'-FL alone, and supporting healthy digestive tract development in infants.
Implementation Method 1
2'-FL is typically produced in microbial fermentation reactors
Implementation Method 2
subjected to reducing conditions to produce 2'-FLol
Data Source
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AI summary
Process comprising reducing a fermentation broth comprising 2'-fucosyllactose to produce a treated fermentation broth comprising 2'-fucosyllactose and 2'-fucosyllactitol; isolating a stream comprising 2'-fucosyllactose and 2'-fucosyllactitol from the treated fermentation broth; purifying the isolated stream; concentrating the purified isolated stream; dewatering the concentrated purified isolated stream, thereby forming a prebiotic solids product comprising 2'-fucosyllactose and 0.2 to 6.0 wt.% of 2'-fucosyllactitol based on the total wt.% of the prebiotic solids product, wherein the concentrating step and dewatering step can be performed in any order.