Wheat Bran-Derived Carbohydrates as Functional Food Ingredients: Extraction and Evaluation of Prebiotic Potential

Wheat bran (WB) is a rich source of non-starch polysaccharides, particularly arabinoxylans, which can be valorized into functional food ingredients with potential prebiotic properties. This study investigated the extraction of carbohydrates from WB using ultrasonic and hydrothermal treatments and evaluated their technological and functional characteristics and in vitro prebiotic potential. The extraction yields reached 43.47% and 72.36% for ultrasonic and hydrothermal methods, respectively. The extracted carbohydrates exhibited low in vitro digestibility (0.86%-2.04%), indicating resistance to gastrointestinal conditions. Fermentation assays demonstrated selective stimulation of probiotic strains, including Lactobacillus acidophilus, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus rhamnosus, and Bifidobacterium lactis, accompanied by increased sugar consumption and organic acid production. Prebiotic activity score (PAS) evaluation showed the strongest responses for Lactobacillus acidophilus, particularly in relation to Salmonella Typhimurium, whereas more limited responses were observed for the remaining probiotic strains and enteric comparisons. These results suggest that WB-derived carbohydrates exhibit prebiotic potential properties and may represent candidate prebiotic ingredients, although further in vivo studies are required to confirm prebiotic effects.