Isolation, structural elucidation and immunomodulatory activity of fructans from aged garlic extract

► Fructans in aged garlic extract (AGE) represent 0.22% of fructans in raw garlic. ► Low and high mol. wt. fructans (LF and HF) separated from fructans of AGE. ► NMR structure reveals that LF and HF have (2 → 1) β-d-fructofuranosyl bonds. ► LF has a molecular mass of <1800 Da (degree of polymerization: <10). ► LF and HF display mitogenic activity and activation of macrophages (phagocytosis).