Development of carrageenan-based emulsion gel as a vehicle to transport xylo-oligosaccharides and its functional properties.

Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOSs) are prebiotic compounds that promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms in the intestinal tract and show resistance to enzymatic digestion, which makes them ideal for use as ingredients in healthy foods. This study presents the development of a new prebiotic and antioxidant carrageenan-based emulsion gel (EG) as a vehicle to transport XOSs obtained from sugarcane bagasse. The aim of developing the EG is its future potential application as a saturated fat replacement ingredient in food products with added functional properties (antioxidant and prebiotic). An experimental strategy based on a central composite rotational design (CCRD) was used to optimize the formulation of the EG with the aim of replicating the technological properties of saturated fat. The optimized emulsion gel with xylo-oligosaccharides (OEGX) resisted digestion and provided probiotic bacterial growth, with nearly 50% consumption of XOSs, indicating their prebiotic potential when incorporated into the emulsion. Furthermore, the stability of the OEGX against lipid oxidation processes, assessed during 30 days of storage at 40 °C, confirmed that the presence of XOSs in the emulsion considerably delayed the peroxidation process during storage. These results indicate that formulation of OEGX represents a promising strategy for the development of functional foods, meeting the growing demand for food products enriched with healthy ingredients.