DEGRADATION AND FERMENTATION OF FRUCTO-OLIGOSACCHARIDES BY ORAL STREPTOCOCCI

Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are claimed to have a positive effect on the intestinal flora. They are being used in functional foods in Japa n and Europe. This group have tested the degradation of two commercial FOS preparations by oral streptococci in order to predict the carioge nicity of these products. Both preparations could be fermented to some extent by the species of oral streptococci tested. The enzymes necess ary for the degradation of FOS were inducible. Each strain showed a sp ecific degradation pattern. All strains, particularly Streptococcus mu tans rapidly produced acid, mainly lactic acid. Streptococcus mitis al so produced high concentrations of acetic acid. Plaque formation by St rep. mutans was similar to the sucrose control. It is concluded that F OS are cariogenic to a similar extent as sucrose.