Oligoglucans

Oligoglucans are oligosaccharides composed solely of glucose units linked by glycosidic bonds. The degree of polymerization (DP) is typically 2–20, with common subgroups including maltooligosaccharides (α-1,4 linkages from starch) and cellooligosaccharides (β-1,4 linkages from cellulose). They arise from partial hydrolysis of starch, cellulose, or dextrins, by acid treatment or enzymatic methods using amylases, maltogenic amylase, glucoamylase, or cellulases. They also occur as natural degradation products during processing of plant polysaccharides.

Oligoglucans are often water soluble, particularly at lower DP, and their digestibility depends on linkage and DP; molecules with α-1,4 linkages up to a few residues are typically digestible in the small intestine, whereas longer chains and especially β-linkages may resist digestion and be fermented in the colon to short-chain fatty acids. The sweetness and functional properties also vary with DP and linkage: shorter oligoglucans are only mildly sweet.

Applications include use as bulking agents and texture modifiers in foods, mild sweeteners in certain formulations, and as prebiotic ingredients or substrates for fermentation in nutrition products. They are also used in research and industry as standards for carbohydrate analysis and as starting materials for enzymatic synthesis or chemical transformations.