Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder (GOS) are a type of prebiotic that cannot be directly digested and absorbed by the human body. Instead, they are fermented by gut microorganisms, producing a range of health benefits such as improving constipation, regulating intestinal flora, enhancing immunity, and promoting mineral absorption. Commercial Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder are mainly produced by enzymatic conversion using lactose as a substrate.

Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder are becoming increasingly popular in the food industry as a nutritional enhancer and food ingredient, due to their health benefits as prebiotics.

Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder assist in iron absorption in infants

Iron deficiency anemia is very common among infants in impoverished areas. Although there are many iron-fortified foods or supplements available, the absorption rate of iron by infants is generally low. Most iron fortifiers are not absorbed and instead enter the colon, where they are utilized by certain pathogens for growth, producing toxins. An effective strategy to reduce the adverse effects of iron on the gut is to use the lowest effective dose of iron, combined with prebiotics. 

To test whether the intake of Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder or HMOs by infants would enhance the absorption rate of iron in iron-fortified corn porridge, and whether maternal HMO classification would regulate these effects, a randomized, prospective crossover study was conducted on breastfed Kenyan infants. 

The results revealed that a single intake of a low dose (3.0g) of GOS increased the absorption of iron in infants, and this effect was unrelated to the mother's HMO classification. According to the conclusions of this study, taking 5.0 mg of iron (in the form of FeFum) with GOS will provide enough absorbable iron to meet the daily iron requirement of 0.69 mg for infants aged 6 to 12 months.

Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder regulate gut flora and can be used as a dietary supplement during pregnancy

Disruption of the gut microbiome and abnormal glucose metabolism during pregnancy can lead to complications such as gestational diabetes. While prebiotics have shown potential in regulating the gut microbiome, their effects on pregnant women remain unclear. 

A trial recruited 52 pregnant women who were randomly assigned to receive either a Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder intervention or a placebo containing fructooligosaccharides. The composition, diversity, and differences in gut microbiota were detected using 16S rRNA sequencing technology, and lipid metabolism, glucose metabolism, and inflammatory factors were analyzed during pregnancy. 

The results found that the intake of Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder by pregnant women was safe. Compared to the fructooligosaccharides placebo, Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder had no significant difference in improving glucose and lipid metabolism, but they did have an advantage in regulating the gut flora. Therefore, Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder can be considered as a dietary supplement for pregnant women during pregnancy.

Short-chain Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder are effective bifidogenic factors

Bifidobacteria are extremely important microorganisms for the human gut. They not only promote body growth and development, inhibit tumors and aging, but also regulate intestinal dynamic balance, promote the integrity of the intestinal barrier, alleviate symptoms of colitis, and enhance immunity. Short-chain Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder (SC-GOS) are effective bifidogenic factors. How can they fully utilize the effectiveness of synbiotics in probiotic products? 

Research from Northeast Agricultural University provides a reference for the development of probiotic products and infant formula. The experiment isolated 7 strains of bifidobacteria that efficiently utilize SC-GOS from fecal samples, observed their morphology, and analyzed their probiotic characteristics. It was found that Bifidobacterium longum subsp. infantis BI_Y46, Bifidobacterium bifidum BB_Y22, and Bifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum BP_Y43 have good probiotic potential.

Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder have the potential to replace sugar in gummy products and extend shelf life

In recent years, GOS has appeared in various food and beverage products as a sugar substitute and gut nutrient enhancer. The study of replacing sugar with Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder in gummy products is groundbreaking. The aim of the study was to use Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder to manufacture healthy gummies with prebiotic properties. 

Refined sugar in conventional gummies was replaced with different amounts of Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder (60%, 80%, and 100%) and sensory tests (color, moisture, pH, and texture) were conducted. It was found that when the content of Galacto Oligosaccharide Powder exceeded 60%, palatability, texture, overall acceptability, and total score decreased. 

To make 100% substituted GOS gummies more acceptable to subjects, different amounts of sucralose (5g, 5.5g, 6g) were added during preparation, and sensory tests were conducted by an expert panel. 

The results showed that gummies with different sucralose contents were acceptable to the panel members. After six months, the texture of the gummies improved significantly (p<0.05), while color and taste slightly declined. Researchers concluded that 100% GOS can replace sugar to meet the growing demand for healthy candies without changing sensory quality and extending shelf life.