METHOD OF PRODUCTION
The present invention in the field of oligosaccharide production provides a method of producing oligosaccharides of useful lengths without producing substantial amounts of monosaccharides and disaccharides (illustrated by FIG. 1 ). There is provided a method for producing an ingredient suitable for incorporation into a foodstuff, cosmetic, or nutraceutical, said ingredient comprising one or more oligosaccharides, wherein the oligosaccharides are produced in an enzymatic reaction, said enzymatic reaction comprising the step of contacting, in a solution or suspension, a polysaccharide-cleaving enzyme and a polysaccharide-containing feedstock, wherein said enzymatic reaction produces substantially no monosaccharides or disaccharides.
1 .- 23 . (canceled)
24 . A sweetening agent comprising:
a first β-glucan oligosaccharide with a degree of polymerization (DP) of 3;
a β-glucan disaccharide; and
glucose, wherein the glucose is present in an amount less than 10% dry w/w.
25 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , wherein the β-glucan disaccharide is present in an amount less than 40% dry w/w.
26 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , further comprising a second β-glucan oligosaccharide with a DP of four.
27 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , further comprising a second β-glucan oligosaccharide with a DP of three to seven and a third β-glucan oligosaccharide with a DP of three to seven.
28 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , the first β-glucan oligosaccharide comprising at least one 1→4-linkage.
29 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , the first β-glucan oligosaccharide having only 1→4-linkages.
30 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , further comprising β-glucan polysaccharides.
31 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , having less than 5% dry w/w glucose and less than 30% dry w/w β-glucan disaccharides.
32 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , having less than 20% dry w/w monosaccharides and less than 60% dry w/w disaccharides.
33 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , the sweetening agent substantially composed of saccharides.
34 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , being a dry solid.
35 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , further comprising ascorbic acid, gallic acid, cysteine, NADH, NADPH, pyrogallol, dithiothreitol, cyanoborohydrides, borohydrides, photosynthetic pigments, lignin, lignol, or a combination thereof
36 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , further comprising lactone, 4-ketoaldose, aldonic acid, geminal diol, or a combination thereof.
37 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , further comprising an oligosaccharide that is not a β-glucan oligosaccharide.
38 . The sweetening agent of claim 37 , the oligosaccharide that is not a β-glucan oligosaccharide having at least one side chain.
39 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff, the foodstuff has a comparable texture to a control foodstuff, and wherein the control foodstuff is comparable to the foodstuff except that the control foodstuff comprises sucrose as a sweetener component.
40 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff, the foodstuff has at least 5% fewer calories than a control foodstuff, and wherein the control foodstuff is comparable to the foodstuff except that the control foodstuff comprises sucrose as a sweetener component.
41 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff, the foodstuff has a greater fiber content than a control foodstuff, and wherein the control foodstuff is comparable to the foodstuff except that the control foodstuff comprises sucrose as a sweetener component.
42 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , wherein the sweetening agent is incorporated into a baked good, a chocolate, a confectionery, or a drink.
43 . The sweetening agent of claim 24 , wherein when the sweetening agent is incorporated into a foodstuff the first β-glucan oligosaccharide is oxidized or reduced.