Preparation of Cello-Oligosaccharides by Precise-Controlled Enzymatic Depolymerization and Its Amphiphilic...

Cello-oligosaccharides (COS) are gaining great attention for their prebiotic-like properties, e.g., boosting gut health by promoting beneficial bacteria and improving digestion. This study produced COS, consisting predominantly of 4-10 glucose units (>80% of total COS) through enzymatic selective hydrolysis of cellulose using Ultimase BWL 40 (endoglucanase and xylanase) and Celluclast 1.5 L (cellobiohydrolases and endoglucanase). Celluclast 1.5 L mediated hydrolysis of cellulose for 7 h, yielding 22% COS, and Ultimase BWL 40 for 24 h afforded 32% COS to a large extent governed by the patterns of composed hydrolytes associated with the components and specificity of the enzyme recipe. Moreover, a novel kind of amphiphilic COS product was developed through (2-dodecen-1-yl succinyl) alkylsuccinylation of COS, confirmed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and ¹H nuclear magnetic resonance (¹HNMR) spectroscopy; thereby, COS was endowed with the amphiphilic property. Not surprisingly, alkylsuccinylated COS (SAC12) stabilized cosurfactant-free emulsions of high oil-load, e.g., 70 wt % fish oil-in-water emulsions, achieving remarkably homogeneous nano-/microdroplets (500-540 nm), extremely narrow polydispersity index (PDI < 0.1), and strongly negative zeta potential (-45 to -48 mV), thus demonstrating exceptional stability. Overall, alkylsuccinylated COS (SAC12) offers superior emulsifying capabilities without a cosurfactant while maintaining prebiotic benefits, thus providing a versatile sustainable solution for various nutraceutical/pharmaceutical applications.