AUTHOR=Jiang Kankan , Fu Xiaoliang , Huang Rong , Fan Xingli , Ji Lei , Cai Damin , Liu Xiaoxiang , Fu Yixiu , Sun Aihua , Feng Chenzhuo TITLE=Production of Prebiotic Xylooligosaccharides via Dilute Maleic Acid-Mediated Xylan Hydrolysis Using an RSM-Model-Based Optimization Strategy JOURNAL=Frontiers in Nutrition VOLUME=9 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2022.909283 DOI=10.3389/fnut.2022.909283 ISSN=2296-861X ABSTRACT=

Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) are functional feed additives that are attracting growing commercial interest owing to their excellent ability to modulate the composition of the gut microbiota. The acid hydrolysis-based processing of xylan-containing materials has been proposed to represent a cost-effective approach to XOS preparation, with organic acids being preferable in this context. As such, in the present study, maleic acid was selected as a mild, edible organic acid for use in the hydrolysis of xylan to produce XOS. A response surface methodology (RSM) approach with a central composite design was employed to optimize maleic acid-mediated XOS production, resulting in a yield of 50.3% following a 15 min treatment with 0.08% maleic acid at 168°C. Under these conditions, the desired XOS degree of polymerization (2-3) was successfully achieved, demonstrating the viability of this using a low acid dose and a high reaction temperature to expedite the production of desired functional products. Moreover, as maleic acid is a relatively stable carboxylic acid, it has the potential to be recycled. These results suggest that dilute maleic acid-based thermal treatment of corncob-derived xylan can achieve satisfactory XOS yields, highlighting a promising and cost-effective approach to XOS production.