Enhanced production of xylooligosaccharides from vine shoots and their impact on the nutritional and technological properties of spreadable goat cheese

In order to improve the daily intake of prebiotic fiber in the staple foods of the Mediterranean diet, the potential of including prebiotic xylooligosaccharides (XOS) in spreadable goat cheese was investigated. Preliminarily, this study aimed to obtain XOS extract from vine shoots by steam explosion. Thus, xylooligosaccharide extract (XE), also used as purified extract (XEP) were added in the goat cheese. The application of XE and XEP in the cheese, significantly changed the proximal composition, providing more than 3 g of fiber per 100 g allowing the claim “source of fiber” according with the EU Regulation 1924/2006, reducing further the predicted glycemic index. The purification treatment of the extract highlighted the potential of XEP in promoting a healthier gut microbiota by stimulating the growth of Bifidobacterium and lactic acid bacteria. Structure analysis and volatile profile showed a great similarity between the samples added with XEP and the control cheese.