Polysaccharides From Ganoderma resinaceum ‐Fermented Whole Oats: Physicochemical, In Vitro Digestive, Antioxidant and Anti‐Aging Properties

Oats are important crops with multiple bioactive functions. Edible fungi fermentation is verified as a highly efficient strategy to modify the structure and enhance the bioactivity of plant materials. However, the influences of fermentation with Ganoderma resinaceum , a valuable edible fungus, on oat polysaccharides remain unclear, hindering its development and commercial deployment in the food industry. This work explored the little‐studied impacts of Ganoderma resinaceum (GR) fermentation on physicochemical and structural traits, in vitro digestive behavior, antioxidant capacity, and anti‐aging function of polysaccharides extracted from whole oats (WOP). After GR fermentation, the solubility of polysaccharides (GFWOP) was remarkably elevated to 93.56%, while the molecular weight and apparent viscosity decreased. GR fermentation raised crystallinity and thermal stability. GFWOP had a loose and porous surface structure. GFWOP displayed stronger DPPH radical‐scavenging ability and total antioxidant potential. In D‐galactose‐induced aging zebrafish, GFWOP notably lowered β‐galactosidase activity and Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) levels, enhanced SOD (Superoxide Dismutase) activity, and regulated the target gene expression at the transcriptional level of Mn ‐ sod , Bcl‐2 , and bax . These results proved that GR fermentation could effectively modify the traits of oat polysaccharides, and GFWOP had biological functions, supporting GFWOP as a prospective antioxidant and anti‐aging component for functional food.

Practical Applications

This study investigated that Ganoderma resinaceum‐ fermented oat polysaccharide could serve as a natural antioxidant and anti‐aging raw material for functional foods like beverages and cereal snacks in the future. It avoids synthetic additives and offers consumers mild anti‐oxidation effects to relieve aging‐related oxidative stress, bringing new natural ingredient choices for food manufacturers.