Recent advances in enzymatic synthesis and microbial production of fucosylated human milk oligosaccharides

Abstract Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are multifunctional biomolecules crucial for infant health, with established roles in immune modulation, anti-inflammatory responses, antimicrobial defense, and neurodevelopment. However, their structural complexity and limited natural availability necessitate the development of scalable synthetic methods to support advanced biological and therapeutic investigations. This review highlights enzymatic synthesis and microbial fermentation as key strategies for producing fucosylated HMOs, critically evaluating current methodologies and exploring innovative approaches for precise synthesis and large-scale production. Future directions are also outlined, offering insights into novel design strategies to fully harness the potential of HMOs in both research and clinical applications.