In vitro synthesis of fractofuranosyl‐only oligosaccharides from inulin and fructose by purified chicory root fructan:fructan fructosyl transferase

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Abstract
Besides the non‐reducing inulin series of gluco‐frueto oligosaccharides which are common in Asteraceae, two series of reducing fructofuranosyl‐only oligosaccharides occur in overwintering, forced, and sprouting chicory roots. Such inulo‐n‐oses could be produced by the action of an endo‐inulinase on gluco‐fructo oligosaccharides. We show here that similar series of inulo‐n‐oses as found in vivo can be produced by incubating fructose and inulin with a purified fructamfructan tructosyl transferase (FFT; EC 2.4.1.100) from chicory roots (Cichorium intybus L.). Therefore fructose (but not glucose) can act as an acceptor for FFT. Since the inulo‐n‐oses only appear in vivo once the endogenous fructose concentration increases, we conclude that they are not the result of a putative endo‐inulinase but of FFT activity.