Oligosaccharides and Glycoconjugates

Oligosaccharides are defined as

carbohydrates which contain between

three and ten monosaccharide residues,

covalently linked through glycosidic bonds

and are divided into two broad classes,

neutral and acidic.

Oligosaccharides act as a prebiotic as

they are neither digested nor absorbed

in the upper intestinal tract of humans but

are delivered intact into the colon where

they can act as nutrients for colonic

microflora. Specific oligosaccharides

support the growth of beneficial bacteria

and modulate the microbiome.