Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rdxmf Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T14:33:10.400Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Functional foods: concepts and application to inulin and oligofructose

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 March 2007

Marcel B. Roberfroid
Marcel B. Roberfroid*
Affiliation:
Université Catholique de Louvain, Brussels, Belgium
*
*Corresponding author: Professor M. Roberfroid, fax +32 10 45 93 01, email [email protected]
Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

A food can be regarded as functional if it is satisfactorily demonstrated to affect beneficially one or more target functions in the body, beyond adequate nutritional effects, in a way which is relevant to either the state of well-being and health or the reduction of the risk of a disease. Health claims are expected to be authorized for functional foods based either on enhanced function (type A claim) or disease risk reduction (type B claim). Their development is a unique opportunity to contribute to the improvement of the quality of the food offered to consumer's choice for the benefit of his well-being and health. But only a rigorous scientific approach producing sound data will garantee its success. The functional food components that are discussed in the proceedings of the 3rd ORAFTI Research Conference are the inulin-type fructans, natural food components found in miscellaneous edible plants. They are non-digestible oligosaccharides that are classified as dietary fiber. The targets for their functional effects are the colonic microflora that use them as selective ‘fertilizers’; the gastrointestinal physiology; the immune functions; the bioavailability of minerals; and the metabolism of lipids. Potential health benefits may also concern reduction of the risk of some diseases like intestinal infections, constipation, non-insulin dependent diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis or colon cancer. The present proceedings review the scientific data available and, by reference to the concepts in functional food science, they assess the scientific evidence which will be used to substantiate health claims.

Keywords

Functional foodsHealth claimsPrebiotics
Type
Research Article
Information
British Journal of Nutrition , Volume 87 , Issue S2 , May 2002 , pp. S139 - S143
Copyright
Copyright © The Nutrition Society 2002

References

Alles, MS, Hautvast, JGA, Nagengast, FM, Hartemink, R, Van Laere, KMJ & Jansen, JBM (1996) Fate of fructo-oligosaccharides in the human intestine. British Journal of Nutrition 76, 211–221.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
American Association of Cereal Chemists (2001) The definition of dietary fiber. Report of the Dietary fiber definition committee to the Board of Directors. DF DEF 1/10/2001.Google Scholar
Bouhnik, Y, Flourie, B, Riottot, M, Bisetti, N, Gailing, M & Guibert, A (1996) Effects of fructo-oligosaccharides ingestion on fecal bifidobacteria and selected metabolic indexes of colon carcinogenesis in healthy humans. Nutrition and Cancer 26, 21–29.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Buddington, RK, Williams, CH, Chen, S & Witherly, SA (1996) Dietary supplement of neosugar alters fecal flora and decreases activities of some reductive enzymes in human subjects. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 63, 709–716.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Codex Alimentarius (1991) Codex General Guidelines on Claims, CAC/GL 1 Revision 1.Google Scholar
De Bruyn, A, Alvarez, AP, Sandra, P & De Leenheer, L (1992) Isolation and identification of O-β-D-fructofuranosyl-(2→1)-O-β-D-fructosuranosyl-(2→1)-D-fructose, a product of the enzymic hydrolysis of the inulin from Cichorium intybus. Carbohydrate Research 235, 303–308.Google Scholar
Delzenne, N & Roberfroid, M (1994) Physiological effects of non digestible oligosaccharides. Lebensmittel Wissenschaft und Technologie 27, 1–6.Google Scholar
Diplock, AT, Aggett, PJ, Ashwell, M, Bornet, F, Fern, EB & Roberfroid, MB (1999) Scientific concepts of functional foods in europe: consensus document. British Journal of Nutrition 81, suppl 1, S1–S28.Google Scholar
Ellegärd, L, Andersson, H & Bosaeus, I (1997) Inulin and oligofructose do not influence the absorption of cholesterol, and the excretion of cholesterol, Fe, Ca, Mg and bile acids but increases energy excretion in man. A blinded controlled cross-over study in ileostomy subjects. European Journal of Clinical Nutrition 51, 1–5.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Food and Nutrition Board (1989) Diet and Health, Implications for Reducing Chronic Diseases, 10th edition, Washington DC: National Academic Press.Google Scholar
Food and Nutrition Board of the Institute of Medicine of the National Academy (2001) Dietary Reference Intakes: Proposed definition of dietary fiber. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.Google Scholar
Franck, A (2002) Technological functionality of inulin and oligofructose. British Journal of Nutrition 87, S287–S291, this issue.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Gibson, GR (2000) Dietary modulation of the human gut microflora using the prebiotic inulin and oligofructose. Journal of Nutrition 129, suppl 7S, 1438S–1441S.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Gibson, GR, Beatty, ER, Wang, X & Cummings, JH (1995) Selective stimulation of bifidobacteria in the human colon by oligofructose and inulin. Gastroenterology 108, 975–982.Google Scholar
James, WPT (1988) Healthy Nutrition: Preventing Nutrition-related Diseases in Europe. WHO, Regional Publications European Series 24, 4–6.Google Scholar
Kleessen, B, Sykura, B, Zunft, HJ & Blaut, M (1997) Effects of inulin and lactose on fecal microflora, microbial activity, and bowel habit in elderly constipated persons. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 65, 1397–1402.Google Scholar
Knudsen, KEB & Hessov, I (1995) Recovery of inulin from Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthus tuberosus l.) in the small intestine of man. British Journal of Nutrition 74, 101–113.Google Scholar
McBain, A & Macfarlane, G (1997) Investigations of bifidobacterial ecology and oligosaccharide metabolism in a three-stage compound continuous culture system. Scandinavian Journal of Gastroenterology 222, suppl, 32–40.Google Scholar
Milner, J (2000) Functional foods and nutraceuticals: the US perspective, 17th Ross Conference on Medical Issues. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 71, suppl, 16545–16595.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Milner, J & Roberfroid, M (1999) Nutritional and health benefits of inulin and oligofructose. Journal of Nutrition 129, suppl. 7S, 1394S–1502S.Google Scholar
Molis, C, Flourie, B, Ouarne, F, Gailing, MF, Lartigue, S & Guibert, A et al. , (1996) Digestion, excretion, and energy value of fructooligosaccharides in healthy humans. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 64, 324–328.Google Scholar
MoshFegh, AJ, Friday, JE, Goldman, JP & Chug Ahuga, JK (1999) Presence of inulin and oligofructose in the diets of Americans. Journal of Nutrition 129, suppl 7S, 1407S–1411S.Google Scholar
Pool-Zobel, B, Van Loo, J, Rowland, J & Roberfroid, M (2002) Review of experimental evidence investigating the potential of prebiotic carbohydrates inulin and oligofructose to reduce the risk of colon cancer. British Journal of Nutrition 87, S273–S281, this issueGoogle Scholar
Roberfroid, MB & Delzenne, N (1998) Dietary fructans. Annual Review Nutrition 18, 117–143.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberfroid, MB & Slavin, J (2000) Nondigestible oligosaccharides. Critical Review in Food Science and Nutrition 40, 461–480.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Roberfroid, MB, Van Loo, JAE & Gibson, GR (1998) The bifidogenic nature of chicory inulin and its hydrolysis products. Journal of Nutrition 128, 11–19.Google Scholar
Van Loo, J, Coussement, P, De Leenheer, L, Hoebregs, H & Smits, G (1995) On the presence of inulin and oligofructose as natural ingredients in the Western diet. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition 35, 525–552.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Van Loo, J, Franck, A, Cummings, JH, Macfarlane, GT, Englyst, HN & Quigley, ME et al. , (1998) Consensus document on the functional food properties of non digestible oligosaccharides (DGXII ENDO Project). British Journal of Nutrition 81, 121–132.Google Scholar
Welsch, S (1996) Nutrient standards, dietary guidelines and food guides. In Present Knowledge in Nutrition, [Ziegler, EE and Filer, LJ, editors]. Washington, DC: ILSI Press.Google Scholar
Ziesenitz, SC & Siebert, G (1987) In vitro assessment of Nystose as a sugar substitute. Journal of Nutrition 117, 846–851.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed