Optimization of microwave-ultrasound assisted extraction of oligosaccharides from pea seeds and its probiotic...

The oligosaccharides present in peas, an important edible legume, play a crucial role in its physiological functions. In this study, the microwave-ultrasonic assisted extraction of pea oligosaccharides was optimized using both single factor and response surface methods with water as the extraction solvent. AB-8 macroporous resin was used for decolorization and purification of these oligosaccharides, followed by investigating their impact on probiotic proliferation in vitro. The optimal conditions for extraction were found to be microwave power at 700 W for 30 s, solid-to-liquid ratio at 1:12 g/mL, ultrasonic power at 190 W for 22 min, resulting in a maximum yield of pea oligosaccharides at 7.97%. Purification of pea oligosaccharides using AB-8 macroporous resin resulted in sugar retention and decolorization rates of 89.39 and 91.13%, respectively. HPLC analysis revealed that stachyose accounted for the largest proportion (34.53%) among the pea oligosaccharide composition, followed by verbascose (23.82%), raffinose (1.15%), and sucrose (17.15%). Furthermore, these pea-derived oligosaccharides exhibited significant effects on promoting the growth of Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus plantarum, Akkermansia muciniphila, and Bifidobacterium bifidum strains; thus suggesting their potential application as high-quality prebiotic materials in functional food development.

The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-025-06320-0.