London BioScience Innovation Centre
2 Royal College Street, London NW1 0NH
Functional carbohydrates for gut health & personal care
Dietary fibre-derived oligosaccharides and modified polysaccharides are emerging as critical ingredients in gut health supplements and next-generation personal care. We engineer the enzymes that make their commercial production feasible.
Active R&DUsing enzymatic transfructosylation, galactosylation, and regioselective esterification, we produce defined oligosaccharides with clinically validated prebiotic activity. These promote selective growth of beneficial gut bacteria including Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species.
In personal care, our enzyme-modified carbohydrates function as next-generation skin conditioning agents, film-formers, and microbiome-supportive ingredients — replacing synthetic polyols and silicones with biodegradable bio-based alternatives.
| Product | Feedstock | Enzyme | Gut health role | Personal care role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FOS | Inulin / sucrose | Fructosyltransferase | Prebiotic — Bifidobacterium | Humectant, moisturiser |
| GOS | Lactose | β-Galactosidase | Prebiotic — infant gut support | Skin barrier reinforcement |
| XOS | Xylan (wheat bran) | Endo-xylanase | Prebiotic — Lactobacillus | Film-former |
| Pectic oligosaccharides | Citrus pectin | Pectinase / lyase | Anti-inflammatory gut effect | Soothing skin active |
| Carbohydrate fatty acid esters | Sucrose / glucose | Lipase | — | Emulsifier, bio-surfactant |
We offer custom carbohydrate fractions and collaborative development programmes.