ABSTRACT
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) have gained significant attention for their health benefits, particularly for neonatal well-being. HMOs-enhanced products aim to closely replicate breast milk's nutritional and physiological effects, not just in terms of oligosaccharide types, but also their ratios. Key oligosaccharides found in breast milk, including trisaccharides, 2′-fucosyllactose (2′-FL), and 3-fucosyllactose (3-FL), possess important biological properties like probiotic, anti-microbial, anti-viral, and immunomodulatory effects. These compounds are approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as generally recognized as safe (GRAS) and classified as novel foods (NFs) by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Remarkably, 2′-FL is not just an ingredient in infant formula; it's also a dietary supplement and vital in medical food production. Its unique nutritional applications have generated considerable commercial interest. The bioproduction of 2′-FL and 3-FL employs enzymatic methods and cell factory technologies. Key enzymes, α-1,3 or α-1,3/4 fucosyltransferases, play vital roles in 3-FL biosynthesis. Various metabolic engineering strategies have been employed to enhance 3-FL production using cell factories. In summary, this review synthesizes current scientific literature on the biosynthesis, bioactivity, safety evaluation, and biotechnological production of 2′-FL and 3-FL within a concise scope.
