Abstract
Xylo-oligosaccharides (XOS) are oligosaccharides components derived from hemicelluloses. Classified as non-digestible sugars, XOS can promote the growth of beneficial bacteria within the gastrointestinal tract, thereby contributing to human health; XOS have been widely used in industry as a prebiotic. Therefore, this research investigated optimizing the conditions for xylanase and XOS production using corncob and wheat bran. The parameters investigated included pH, moisture content, and incubation time. Purified xylanase with ammonium sulfate used an optimum fraction of 40–60%, dialysis, and column chromatography (DEAE-cellulose). The molecular mass of the purified enzyme was 18 kDa. The purified enzyme remained at over 80% relative activity at 40 min at the optimal temperature. The Km and Vmax values using beechwood xylan were 6.57 mg.mL− 1 and 18,298.26 U.mg− 1 respectively. XOS produced through xylanase hydrolysis of corncob exhibited the ability to promote the growth of probiotic strains Lactobacillus lactis TISTR1464 and Bifidobacterium bifidum TISTR2129, suggesting its potential application in prebiotic development. These findings highlight the feasibility of utilizing sustainable agricultural residues like corncob for the production of prebiotic XOS via an enzymatic approach. This enzymatically derived product demonstrates potential for various commercial applications, with particular viability for the food and nutraceutical industries.