Journal of Food Safety and Quality

Objective To evaluate the toxicological safety of xylooligosaccharides. Methods According to the national food safety standards, the safety of xylooligosaccharides was evaluated through acute oral toxicity test in mice, micronucleus tests in mammalian bone marrow red blood cells, chromosomal aberration tests in spermatocytes, Bacterial reverse mutation (Ames) test, and 28 day oral toxicity test. Results The acute maximum tolerated dose (MTD) of xylooligosaccharides in male and female mice was greater than 10000 mg/(kg·bw), which was classified as practically non-toxic; the micronucleus test of mammalian bone marrow red blood cells, chromosome aberration test of spermatocytes, and Ames test were all negative; set up 3 dose groups: 0 (basic feed control), 4167, 8333 and 16667 mg/(kg·bw) (equivalent to 25 times, 50 times and 100 times the maximum recommended intake), orally administered once a day for 28 consecutive days. The high-dose group of animals showed a decrease in total weight gain related to the test sample, changes in biochemical indicators such as alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, glucose and urea nitrogen, and a decrease in organ weight and visceral to body ratio in male rats. However, there were no corresponding changes observed in the medium and low-dose groups (equivalent to 50 times and 25 times the maximum recommended intake) and the Weixing group. Conclusion Xylooligosaccharides do not show acute toxicity or genetic toxicity; the no observed adverse effect level (NOAEL) of the sample for 28 days of oral toxicity in female and male rats is 8333 mg/(kg·bw).

xylooligosaccharides; acute toxicity; genotoxicity; subacute toxicity; safety evaluation