Chain-length dependent and synergistic prebiotic effects of xylooligosaccharides and xylan on the fecal microbiota of mice<i> in</i><i> vitro</i>

Oligomeric and polymeric prebiotics differ in their structural complexity, which influences microbial accessibility and fermentation kinetics. This study investigated the microbial responses to xylooligosaccharides (XOS), xylan (XY), and their combinations in comparison with inulin (INU) using an in vitro model inoculated with BALB/c mice fecal microbiota. Temporal analyses over 48 h included substrate consumption, acid production, and changes in microbial diversity. XOS was rapidly fermented, yielding high acetate and lactate levels, whereas XY was utilized more slowly due to its polymeric structure. During XY fermentation, xylobiose (X2) and xylotriose (X3) accumulated transiently, suggesting a stepwise depolymerization and utilization mechanism. The XOS + XY mix showed enhanced prebiotic effect, producing the highest amount of acid (151.8 mmol/L) and notably promoted the simultaneous enrichment of Bifidobacterium (12.5-fold), Bacteroides (8.85-fold), and Lactobacillus (14.9-fold) species compared to individual treatments These findings demonstrate that coadministered XOS and XY highlights the potential for designing tailored prebiotic formulations to optimize microbiota modulation, with potential relevance for human health.