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Effects of xylitol/sorbitol combinations on bacterial growth and metabolism in Streptococcus sobrinus OMZ 176
Author(s) -
ASSEV SYNNØVE,
RØLLA GUNNAR
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
apmis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.909
H-Index - 88
eISSN - 1600-0463
pISSN - 0903-4641
DOI - 10.1111/j.1699-0463.1993.tb00204.x
Subject(s) - xylitol , sorbitol , streptococcus sobrinus , sugar alcohol , chemistry , sucrose , biochemistry , food science , sugar , biology , bacteria , fermentation , streptococcus mutans , genetics
Combinations of the non‐cariogenic sugar alcohols xylitol and sorbitol are widely used as sucrose substitutes in lozenges and chewing‐gums. In S. sobrinus OMZ 176 xylitol inhibits the metabolism of sorbitol, and the xylitol‐induced bacterial growth inhibition of S. sobrinus OMZ 176 has been shown to be enhanced by sorbitol. In combination with xylitol the sorbitol transport changes from a pts‐to a non‐pts transport, while the transport of xylitol is unaffected by the presence of sorbitol. It would be of interest to know how much xylitol has to be added to a sorbitol‐containing medium to inhibit the metabolism of this sugar alcohol. In the present study no optimal inhibitory concentrations of xylitol/sorbitol combinations were found. Growth and acid production in S. sobrinus OMZ 176 are essentially the same for xylitol: sorbitol ratios in the range from 1:7 to 7:1. The presence of intracellular xylitol metabolites seems to be essential.