Evaluation of Glycan Compound from Swiftlet’s Edible Nest (Aerodramus fuciphagus) as Potential Prebiotic Material

Swiftlet’s edible nest, the white nest which produced by Aerodramus fuciphagus species has been consumed for centuries and is well-known as one of the nutritious and medicinal delicacy in curing many illnesses. Among the benefits of consuming the bird nest, the benefit towards the human gut health has not yet been well explored. A part of the major factor shaping the composition and physiology of gut microbiota is the availability of glycans, most of which cannot be digested by enzymes encoded in the human genome. Gut microbiota can digest the indigestible glycans and further produce short-chain fatty acids, which serve as nutrients for colonocytes and other gut epithelial cells. The improvement of growth of the gut microbiota may contribute to strengthening immune system of the host. Mucus glycoproteins of the swiftlet’s edible nest are mainly constituted of numerous glycans which attached to the bird nest protein backbone. In this study, the glycans from the edible bird nest (EBN) were extracted from the native glycoprotein by the reaction of alkaline hydrolysis. The extracted glycan was purified using gel chromatography and the glycan’s purity was tested using FTIR spectroscopy. Molecular weight of the glycan was determined using gel electrophoresis. The extracted glycan was further tested for its ability to resist human digestion system to be a potential prebiotic compound. Results showed that the glycan of EBN with molecular weight in the range of 21.2 kDa to 66.6 kDa can resist human digestion, thus have a potential to be delivered into the gut environment and act as prebiotic. The potential prebiotic activity can be further study using a mixed culture of bacteria and/or selected probiotic strains.