This study explored the bioactive potential of xylooligosaccharides (XOS) obtained from sugarcane bagasse through one-step hydrothermal process approach, applied here without the typical purification or further processing steps commonly required to produce XOS for use as prebiotic. We investigated various processing conditions to optimize the yield and biofunctional properties of these unpurified, hydrothermally produced XOS-rich hemicellulose hydrolysates from sugarcane bagasse. The prebiotic efficacy of these unpurified XOS-rich hydrolysates was evaluated by their ability to support the metabolism of bifidobacteria in anaerobic fermentation. The results revealed that the chain length of XOS significantly influenced their effectiveness as a carbon source, with longer chains (beyond hexoses) being less efficient. Despite the presence of lignin and sugar degradation by-products, generally considered detrimental in such processes, they did not negatively affect bifidobacteria growth. In addition, variations in the degree of acetyl substitutions on the XOS mildly influenced the production of short-chain fatty acids. Importantly, unpurified XOS-rich hydrolysates produced under selected hydrothermal conditions demonstrated bioactive performance that was comparable to, or even superior to, commercial prebiotics. These findings confirm the practical viability of using unpurified, hydrothermally derived XOS-rich hydrolysates from sugarcane bagasse as prebiotics, emphasizing the innovative approach of eliminating purification and additional processing, thereby simplifying the production process while still maintaining high prebiotic efficacy.

这项研究探索了通过一步水热工艺方法从甘蔗渣中获得的低聚木糖 (XOS) 的生物活性潜力，该方法在此应用，无需生产用作益生元的 XOS 所需的典型纯化或进一步加工步骤。我们研究了各种加工条件，以优化这些未纯化、水热法从甘蔗渣中生产的富含 XOS 的半纤维素水解产物的产量和生物功能特性。这些未纯化的富含低聚木糖的水解产物的益生元功效是通过它们在厌氧发酵中支持双歧杆菌代谢的能力来评估的。结果表明，低聚木糖的链长显着影响其作为碳源的有效性，链长（超过己糖）的效率较低。尽管存在木质素和糖降解副产物（通常被认为在此类过程中有害），但它们并未对双歧杆菌生长产生负面影响。此外，低聚木糖上乙酰基取代程度的变化对短链脂肪酸的产生有轻微影响。重要的是，在选定的水热条件下产生的富含 XOS 的未纯化水解产物表现出与商业益生元相当甚至优于商业益生元的生物活性性能。这些发现证实了使用来自甘蔗渣的未纯化的、水热法富含 XOS 的水解产物作为益生元的实际可行性，强调了消除纯化和额外加工的创新方法，从而简化了生产过程，同时仍然保持了高益生元功效。