Effect of probiotic fermentation on the extraction rate and bioactivity of plant-based polysaccharides: A review

Polysaccharides are biomacromolecules that make up the human body and have good physicochemical properties, bioactivities, and applications; these positive properties can be observed especially in polysaccharides from plants. However, the relatively low extraction rate and bioactivity of plant-based polysaccharides limit their application and popularization. Searching for a better extraction approach is important because of the disadvantages of high cost, environmental pollution, and narrow utilization range of physical, chemical, and enzymatic methods. This work conducted a review and found that probiotic fermentation effectively improved the extraction rate of plant-based polysaccharides in most cases. Meanwhile, probiotic fermentation significantly enhanced the bioactivities (including hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and probiotic activities) of plant-based polysaccharides. From a long-term perspective, probiotic fermentation might be a green and efficient strategy to improve the extraction rate and bioactivity of plant-based polysaccharides with great development potential, with probiotic-fermented dairy products and beverages being the best examples.