Research Progress on Preparation, Structure Identification and Bioactivity of β-Glucooligosaccharides

Oligosaccharide is a new type of functional glycogen and widely used in the food field. β-glucooligosaccharides are kinds of oligosaccharides composed of 2~20 glucoses connected by β-glycosidic bonds, which are mainly prepared by the degradation from β-glucans with different methods. β-glucooligosaccharides possess characteristics of low molecular weight, good water solubility, unique structure and high absorption efficiency, resulting in many biological activities such as regulating intestinal flora, enhancing immunity and anti-tumor, etc. Therefore, they have a broad application prospect in food, health products, medicine and other fields. In order to promote the research and development of β-glucooligosaccharides, this paper reviews the recent studies on the degradation preparation, separation and purification, structural characterization and biological activity of β-glucooligosaccharides, which is expected to provide references for the further research and utilization of β-glucooligosaccharides.