Generation of Antitumor Active Neutral Medium-Sized α-Glycan in Apple Vinegar Fermentation

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The physiologically active substances in apple vinegar have not yet been chemically characterized. We studied the biological functions of apple vinegar produced from crushed apples, and found that the constituent neutral medium-sized α-glycan (NMαG) acts as an antitumor agent against experimental mouse tumors. NMαG is a homoglycan composed of glucose having a molecular weight of about 10,000 and a branched structure bearing α (1-4,6) linkages.In this study, we clarified the origin of NMαG in apple vinegar by examination of its content in alcohol and acetic acid fermentation products sequentially. We found that NMαG appeared in acetic acid fermentation, but not in alcohol fermentation. Furthermore we investigated NMαG origin using acetic acid fermentation from alcohol fortifiied apple without alcohol fermentation and from raw material with varying amounts of pomace. The results indicate that NMαG originated in the apple fruit body and that its production requires both fermentation processes.