Over the last decade, fructooligosaccharides (FOS) have gained significant attention as valuable components of food and dietary supplements. Apart from implications as dietary fibres, sweeteners, and humectants, oligosaccharides are hailed for their prebiotic properties. As a result, FOS demand and market are constantly increasing. From a technological perspective, further studies to utilize new enzymes and the optimization of critical parameters involved in the synthesis of FOS are required. Moreover, a significant amount of research is dedicated on the role of FOS as a source of anticancer agents. Despite the ongoing research, recent reviews indicate that both technical aspects, challenges of FOS production, and their anticancer role necessitate more in-depth investigations to understand their healthcare role better.
This interdisciplinary project aims to fill some of these knowledge gaps. This study will focus on evaluating critical process parameters and factors that influence FOS synthesis during the catalytic bioprocess. Moreover, characterization of the qualitative and quantitative profiles of the obtained FOS fractions will be performed. The technological properties and stability of FOS in real samples will be further evaluated. Also, the cytotoxicity of FOS in cancer cell 2D and 3D models in vitro will be assessed. Finally, the research will focus on FOS influence on the activity of chemotherapeutic agents in cell cultures.
Project funding:
KTU Research and Innovation Fund
Period of project implementation: 2021-04-01 - 2021-12-31
Project partners: Lithuanian University of Health Sciences
