Recent research in the area of carbohydrate food ingredients has shown the effectiveness of oligosaccharides when they are used as prebiotics or biopreservatives. Considering the former, they have various origins and structures, whereas the latter are described mostly as oligochitosans or as low molecular mass chitosans. If new manufacturing biotechnologies have significantly increased the development of these functional food ingredients, the main drawback limiting their applications is the difficulty to engender specific glycosidic structures. The present review focuses on the knowledge in the area of food bioactive oligosaccharides and catalogues the processes employed to generate them.

Great concern for health food impact the need for healthier food products. Much attention has been paid recently for functional oligosaccharides which promote the growth of Bifidobacteria in vivo. A number of different oligosaccharides are currently used as low calorie sweeteners. One of these oligosaccharides is Galacto-oligosachharides which represent one way to add value to cheese whey.