Proximate composition of the edible part of purple passion fruit and santol and in vitro prebiotic activity of crude polysaccharide extracts

This study aimed to evaluate the functional and prebiotic properties of the edible portionsof certain tropical fruits in Thailand, passion fruit and santol. The proximate compositionof passion fruit and santol were analysed which total carbohydrate was the majorcomponent in both samples. Total dietary fibre of passion fruit and santol was 44.81 and26.82% (w/w), respectively, with the majority of insoluble dietary fibre. Soluble dietaryfibre of both fruits was extracted by hot water and water-extractable polysaccharide wasyielded at 16.47% and 25.24% (w/w) for passion fruit and santol, respectively. Thefunctional properties of fruit fibre were informed, with the satisfactory oil holdingcapacity of santol polysaccharide. The effect of both fruit polysaccharides on proliferationnumber at 24 hrs was not different from inulin. Prebiotic activity score of fruitpolysaccharide was calculated from the growth of Lactobacillus acidophilus andBifidobacterium longum compared with the growth of the enteric pathogen, Escherichiacoli corresponding to -0.25 and -0.23 for passion fruit and 0.10 and -0.01 for santol,respectively. In conclusion, both passion fruit and santol polysaccharide showed a distincteffect on the supportive growth of probiotic bacteria which may be potential candidateingredient incorporated in probiotic food. From this evidence, the development of fruitbased synbiotics from passion fruit and santol migh be affordable.