Utilization of Waste Cashew Pseudo Fruit (Anacardium occidentale L.) as a Prebiotic Source doi.org/10.26538/tjnpr/v5i8.12

Abstract

Persea americana and Bryophyllum pinnatum are important plants with age-long application in Cashew pseudo fruit is rich in carbohydrates. These carbohydrates can be chemically hydrolyzed into simpler monomers such as oligosaccharides. The research aims to analyze the oligosaccharide contents in pseudo cashew fruit produced by chemical hydrolysis using sulphuric acid and citric acid so that they can be used as a prebiotic source. The powdered pseudo fruit of cashew was hydrolyzed to convert polysaccharides into oligosaccharides using citric and sulphuric acids as solvents. Oligosaccharide analysis was performed using thin layer chromatography (TLC), reducing and total sugar, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) method. Furthermore, in vitro testing was carried out as a prebiotic source of LAB (Lactic Acid Bacteria). Analysis by TLC and the degree of polymerization from hydrolysis in sulphuric acid solvent shows an Rf value of 0.43- 0.5 with the degree of polymerization of 2.3 and citric acid Rf 0.38-0.5 with the degree of polymerization of 1.6. LC-MS analysis showed that hydrolysis with sulphuric acid resulted in 118.53 mg/L glucose and with citric acid resulted in 1565.10 mg/L glucose; lactose 848.4 mg/L and maltose 1242.60 mg/L. In vivo test showed the amount of LAB in sulphuric acid solvent as 1.5x106 CFU/mL and in citric acid solvent as 1.4x106 CFU/mL Based on the results, it can be concluded that the chemical hydrolysis of cashew pseudo fruit can produce oligosaccharides in the form of maltose and lactose which have the potential to be used as a prebiotic source because they can support the growth of probiotic bacteria in vitro.