Oligosaccharides, compounds that are composed of 2–10 monosaccharide residues, are
major carbohydrate sources in habitats populated by lactobacilli. Moreover, oligosaccharide
metabolism is essential for ecological fitness of lactobacilli. Disaccharide metabolism by
lactobacilli is well understood; however, few data on the metabolism of higher
oligosaccharides are available. Research on the ecology of intestinal microbiota as well as
the commercial application of prebiotics has shifted the interest from (digestible) …