PREBIOTIC ACTIVITY IN STARCH-BASED EDIBLE FILMS WITH FRUCTOOLIGOSACCHARIDES PRODUCED BY LEVANSUCRASE FROM Bacillus subtilis

Fructooligosaccharides (FOSs) are oligomers of fructose, which consists of a glucose unit connected with fructosyl units at position β-(2 → 1). Nystose (GF3) is a FOSs produced by Bacillus subtilis and classified as prebiotic, non-digestible which confers health benefits to the host associated with the microbiota modulation to selectively stimulate the growth of probiotic bacteria, such as Lactobacillus casei. These oligosaccharides can be used in various applications, such as in incorporation edible film and coatings, improving the quality of food and decreasing the deterioration. The aim of this study was to verify the prebiotic effect of starch-based edible films with 30% of nystose synthesized by levansucrase from B. subtilis natto, in the growth of Lactobacillus casei (Man-Rogosa-Sharpe medium -MRS). Glucose was used as control and the cultivations were at 25 °C, 70 rpm for 96 h. Biomass, acetic and lactic acids and the viability cellular by colony forming units (CFU) were determined. Biomass of L. casei were 3.38 gL-1 and 3.15 gL- 1 in the films with 30 % of FOSs and with glucose respectively. The pH was reduced, and acetic and lactic acids production were 99.42 mM and 7.62 mM respectively in the films with FOS and 42.58 mM and 209.2 mM in the films with glucose. Viable cells were 11.24 CFU.mL-1 (film added 30 % FOSs) and 9.45 CFU.mL-1 (film with glucose). These results demonstrated that L. casei presented a good growth in the films with 30 % of FOSs, similar to the glucose. These results demonstrated a good prebiotic potential of this oligosaccharides added in the edible film and suggest that they can be a promising product for the food industry.