Fermentability of Maitake polysaccharides processed by various hydrothermal conditions and fermented with probiotic...

Maitake polysaccharides, after hydrothermal processing, were fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus CCFM202 (L.A.) and Lactobacillus plantarum CCFM6392 (L.P.). The degradation of molecular weight of polysaccharides by hydrothermal processing under acidic conditions was obviously enhanced, which turned part of the water-insoluble-polysaccharides (WIP) into water-soluble-polysaccharides (WSPs). The pH value of water-soluble-polysaccharides (WSPs) and water-insoluble-polysaccharides (WIPs) were intensely dropped (4- 5) after 24 h fermentation. The optical density (O.D.) was increased (1.4- 2.3) due to bacterial growth, and short-chain fatty acids also followed this trend. LA-WSP predominantly produced acetic acid, 3- 4 folds to lactic acid, while LP-WIP groups produced dominant butyric acid (15- 17 folds). Hydrothermal processing induced the growth of L.A. and L.P., where the highest abundance was 2.5 × 10⁴. From the Venn diagram, WSP-1 produced the most elevated metabolites (874). Therefore, experimental results show a significant impact on making WSPs fragments, whereas temperature and pH influence the WSPs degradation, withstand to higher fermentation efficacy.