Eco-recovery of edible swiftlet’s nest (ESN) by-product in the form of bioactive sialylated-mucin (SiaMuc) glycopeptide: a prebiotic assessment using in vitro human colonic fermentation

Edible swiftlet’s nest (ESN), composed primarily of swiftlet saliva, is highly valued for its nutritional properties, driving strong global demand. However, the cleaning process generates substantial waste that retains abundant sialylated-mucin (SiaMuc) glycoproteins, posing environmental concerns and leading to the loss of valuable biomolecules. This study recovered ESN from its by-products as soluble SiaMuc-glycopeptides via enzymatic hydrolysis, producing a value-added product. Previous research has shown that hydrolyzed cleaned-ESN enhances nutritional value and exhibits prebiotic activity by promoting the growth of beneficial gut microbiota, yet similar studies on ESN by-products are lacking. This work is the first to primarily evaluate the prebiotic effects of SiaMuc glycopeptide hydrolysates from ESN by-products, with cleaned-ESN hydrolysates included for comparison. In vitro fermentation with human fecal slurry assessed their impact on colonic microbiota at 0, 6, 12, and 24 h. Results showed both hydrolysates stimulated the growth of beneficial probiotics and inhibited pathogenic Clostridia (p ≤ 0.05). Additionally, both hydrolysates promoted the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) while limiting potentially harmful branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs). These findings suggest that SiaMuc glycopeptides from ESN by-products offer prebiotic benefits comparable to cleaned-ESN, providing an environmentally sustainable solution to utilizing ESN waste.

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