Preparation of inulin-type fructooligosaccharides using fast protein liquid chromatography coupled with refractive index detection

•An FPLC-RID method was firstly developed.•FPLC-RID was successfully used for preparation and purification of fructooligosaccharides.•Fructooligosaccharides with degree of polymerization 3–9 from burdock were purified and identified.

A fast protein liquid chromatography coupled with refractive index detection (FPLC-RID) method was firstly developed for preparation and purification of fructooligosaccharides with different degree of polymerization from burdock, Arctium lappa. After extraction with 60% ethanol and decolorization with MCI gel CHP20P, total fructooligosaccharides were purified on Bio-Gel P-2 column eluted with water at the flow rate of 0.3 ml/min, which was the optimized conditions. The obtained fructooligosaccharides with degree of polymerization of 3–9 were identified based on their methylation analysis, MS and NMR data. This method has the advantages of high automation, good recovery and easy performance, which could be used for preparation of FOS from other sources, as well as other targeted compounds without UV absorbance.