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Inulin: Properties, health benefits and food applications
Abstract
Inulin is a water soluble storage polysaccharide and belongs to a group of non-digestible carbohydrates called fructans. Inulin has attained the GRAS status in USA and is extensively available in about 36,000 species of plants, amongst, chicory roots are considered as the richest source of inulin. Commonly, inulin is used as a prebiotic, fat replacer, sugar replacer, texture modifier and for the development of functional foods in order to improve health due to its beneficial role in gastric health. This review provides a deep insight about its production, physicochemical properties, role in combating various kinds of metabolic and diet related diseases and utilization as a functional ingredient in novel product development.
... by digestive enzymes, making it a non-digestible carbohydrate for humans [2,4]. Consequently, inulin has been principally studied and used as a prebiotic, as it can be digested by some bacteria of the human microbiota and can have positive health effects, particularly in obesity-related metabolic diseases [2,3]. ...
... by digestive enzymes, making it a non-digestible carbohydrate for humans [2,4]. Consequently, inulin has been principally studied and used as a prebiotic, as it can be digested by some bacteria of the human microbiota and can have positive health effects, particularly in obesity-related metabolic diseases [2,3]. ...
... Structurally, it is a polysaccharide made up of D-fructofuranose units, rendering it resistant to hydrolysis by human gastrointestinal enzymes due to its β-configuration ( Figure 1) [1]. The molecular formula GFn denotes the presence of a terminal glucose unit (G) and fructose units (F), with 'n' indicating the number of fructose units [2]. ...
Inulin is a plant polysaccharide which, due to its chemical structure, is not digestible by human gut enzymes but by some bacteria of the human microbiota, acting as a prebiotic. Consequently, inulin consumption has been associated with changes in the composition of the intestinal microbiota related to an improvement of the metabolic state, counteracting different obesity-related disturbances. However, the specific mechanisms of action, including bacterial changes, are not exactly known. Here, a bibliographic review was carried out to study the main effects of inulin on human metabolic health, with a special focus on the mechanisms of action of this prebiotic. Inulin supplementation contributes to body weight and BMI control, reduces blood glucose levels, improves insulin sensitivity, and reduces inflammation markers, mainly through the selective favoring of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producer species from the genera Bifidobacterium and Anaerostipes. These SCFAs have been shown to ameliorate glucose metabolism and decrease hepatic lipogenesis, reduce inflammation, modulate immune activity, and improve anthropometric parameters such as body weight or BMI. In conclusion, the studies collected suggest that inulin intake produces positive metabolic effects through the improvement of the intestinal microbiota and through the metabolites produced by its fermentation.
... Due to β-D-fructosyl units, inulin is indigestible in the human gut. Inulin, in the later end of the colon, is assimilated by gut microflora rendering it an ideal prebiotic property (Shoaib et al., 2016). In food application, inulin acts as a fat and sucrose replacer, aiding in solubility, gelling and viscosity of food matrices (Flamm et al., 2001;Meyer & Blaauwhoed, 2009;Mensink et al., 2015;Shoaib et al., 2016;Wan et al., 2020;Anderson-Dekkers et al., 2021;Mudannayake et al., 2022). ...
... Inulin, in the later end of the colon, is assimilated by gut microflora rendering it an ideal prebiotic property (Shoaib et al., 2016). In food application, inulin acts as a fat and sucrose replacer, aiding in solubility, gelling and viscosity of food matrices (Flamm et al., 2001;Meyer & Blaauwhoed, 2009;Mensink et al., 2015;Shoaib et al., 2016;Wan et al., 2020;Anderson-Dekkers et al., 2021;Mudannayake et al., 2022). Ovalbumin-inulin conjugate displayed oxidative stability and emulsifying activity (Hu et al., 2020). ...
Functionalities of proteins for the formulation of protein‐fortified products are crucial, impacting the use of protein from sustainable sources such as algae. Glycation (the initial step of the Maillard browning reaction) is a standout modification technique explored to improve the functions of the protein in the food matrices. In this study, Chlorella powder was conjugated with inulin using a wet glycation method. It is a quick, scalable and easy method for improving the functionality of food proteins. In this study, conjugation was performed for three different Chlorella to inulin molar ratios (S1:1, S3:1 and S5:1). The solution of each molar ratio was heated at 90°C for 30 min under alkaline state (9.0 pH). Characterisation was conducted employing OPA assay, browning intensity and FTIR spectroscopy techniques. The results suggested glycation achieved the highest for the Chlorella‐inulin ratio of 1:1. Glycation extent influenced the solubility of this conjugate significantly (P < 0.05) under an acidic medium. Other functional properties including hydration, moisture uptake, oil‐binding and emulsifying activity were also significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced compared to unmodified Chlorella powder. Chlorella conjugate with molar ratio 1:1 also displayed higher antioxidant properties suggesting glycation's role in improving Chlorella powder free radical scavenging capabilities (1.25‐fold increase) and reducing power (2.24‐fold increase). The total scavenging activity and total reducing power of S1:1 were 2.526 × 10⁻³ and 1.872 × 10⁻³ mg mL⁻¹ mg⁻¹(Trolox Eq.), respectively. The results provide an understanding of different functionalities for glycated conjugates promising utilisation in the food and beverage industry.
... 10 Alternatively, FOS (DP2−5) may be prepared from sucrose or fructose. 8 FOS consist of a linear series of β- (2,1) linked fructose units, attached to a terminal fructose by a β- (2,1) bond (Fn series), or to a terminal alpha-D-glucose by an α- (2,1) bond (GFn series) at the nonreducing end, with a DP up to 10. 8,11 Inulinases degrade FOS and can be classified into endo-and exoinulinases. Endoinulinases (2,1-β-D-fructan fructanohydro-lase) split internal β-(2,1) fructofuranosyl linkages, whereas exoinulinases (β-D-fructohydrolase) split off fructose units at the terminal nonreducing end. ...
... 10 Alternatively, FOS (DP2−5) may be prepared from sucrose or fructose. 8 FOS consist of a linear series of β- (2,1) linked fructose units, attached to a terminal fructose by a β- (2,1) bond (Fn series), or to a terminal alpha-D-glucose by an α- (2,1) bond (GFn series) at the nonreducing end, with a DP up to 10. 8,11 Inulinases degrade FOS and can be classified into endo-and exoinulinases. Endoinulinases (2,1-β-D-fructan fructanohydro-lase) split internal β-(2,1) fructofuranosyl linkages, whereas exoinulinases (β-D-fructohydrolase) split off fructose units at the terminal nonreducing end. ...
... Пребиотики (Инулин, FOS или GOS [7]) -субстрат, который селективно используется микроорганизмами, оказывающими положительное влияние на здоровье хозяина [3]. ...
... Пребиотик (Инулин, FOS или GOS [7]). ...
Плодотворное научное и практическое сотрудничество кафедры эпидемиологии Ереванского государственного медицинского университета им. Мх. Гераци с фармацевтической компанией «Эско-Фарм» ведётся более 25 лет, и за это время не было получено ни одного отрицательного отзыва от потребителей. Изучаются эффективность и пути внедрения в практику здравоохранения молочнокислых бактерий штамма 317/402 «Нарин-Э» и их выделенных экзометаболитов. Вследствие того, что препарат не содержит живых клеток молочнокислых бактерий, но содержит продукты их метаболизма (экзометаболиты), которые служат пищей («топливом») для полезных для человека микроорганизмов и создают оптимальную среду для развития последних – это пребиотик. В то же время он содержит небольшое количество мёртвых клеток молочнокислых бактерий (и их фрагменты) и характерные им экзометаболиты, следовательно, соответствует определению постбиотиков. // The fruitful scientific and practical collaboration of the Department of Epidemiology of the Yerevan State Medical University named after Mk. Heratsi with the pharmaceutical company «Esco-Pharm» has been ongoing for more than 25 years, and during this time not a single nega-tive review from consumers has been received. The effectiveness and ways of implementing lactic acid bacteria of strain 317/402 «Narin-E» and their isolated exometabolites in healthcare practice are being studied. As a result of the fact that the drug does not contain live cells of lactic acid bacteria, but contains products of their metabolism (exometabolites), which serve as food («fuel») for beneficial microorganisms for humans and create an optimal environment for their development – this is a prebiotic. At the same time, it contains typical exometabolites of lactic acid bacteria and a small amount of dead cells (and their fragments) therefore, it falls under the definition of postbiotics.
... Inulin is used as a pharmaceutical excipient, prebiotic and substitute for sugar and fat in dairy and meat products, respectively [3]. Inulin consumption reduces the incidence of diseases such as colon cancer, obesity and diabetes; the last of these was the seventh greatest cause of death, claiming approximately 4.0 million people, in 2017 [4][5][6]. Other benefits related to inulin consumption are the improvement in calcium absorption, the relief of constipation and the decrease in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood [5,7]. ...
... Inulin consumption reduces the incidence of diseases such as colon cancer, obesity and diabetes; the last of these was the seventh greatest cause of death, claiming approximately 4.0 million people, in 2017 [4][5][6]. Other benefits related to inulin consumption are the improvement in calcium absorption, the relief of constipation and the decrease in cholesterol and triglyceride levels in the blood [5,7]. ...
Inulin is a carbohydrate that belongs to fructans; due to its health benefits, it is widely used in the food and pharmaceutical industries. In this research, cabuya (Agave americana) was employed to obtain inulin by pulsed electric field-assisted extraction (PEFAE) and FTIR analysis confirmed its presence. The influence of PEFAE operating parameters, namely, electric field strength (1, 3 and 5 kV/cm), pulse duration (0.1, 0.2 and 0.5 ms), number of pulses (10,000, 20,000 and 40,000) and work cycle (20, 50 and 80%) on the permeabilization index and energy expenditure were tested. Also, once the operating conditions for PEFAE were set, the temperature for conventional extraction (CE) and PEFAE were defined by comparing extraction kinetics. The cabuya meristem slices were exposed to PEFAE to obtain extracts that were quantified, purified and concentrated. The inulin was isolated by fractional precipitation with ethanol to be characterized. The highest permeabilization index and the lowest energy consumption were reached at 5 kV/cm, 0.5 ms, 10,000 pulses and 20%. The same extraction yield and approximately the same amount of inulin were obtained by PEFAE at 60 • C compared to CE at 80 • C. Despite, the lower amount of inulin obtained by PEFAE in comparison to CE, its quality was better because it is mainly constituted of inulin of high average polymerization degree with more than 38 fructose units. In addition, TGA analyses showed that inulin obtained by PEFAE has a lower thermal degradation rate than the obtained by CE and to the standard.
... To obtain new types of beer and reduce the cost of their production, brewing has recently increasingly used non-traditional unmalted raw materials of plant origin, the addition of which to malt will improve the quality characteristics of beer (taste, aroma, foaming) and enrich the drink with biologically active substances (Shoaib et al., 2016). ...
... Method of wort preparation for dark beer). This method does not require additional equipment, but has some disadvantages, the main of which are the loss of part of inulin, valuable bitter, and aromatic substances of chicory at the stage of boiling wort with hops (Shoaib et al., 2016). ...
... Inulin is a soluble fiber known for its prebiotic activity that promotes gut health (Al-Sheraji et al., 2013). It is commonly used as a bulking agent and fat replacer in food products due to its techno-functional properties and has a low caloric value (Qin et al., 2023;Shoaib et al., 2016). Protein-polysaccharide interactions can be regulated by several factors such as pH, ionic strength, and temperature. ...
Gelation of protein‐polysaccharide mixtures can help create a variety of distinctive gel systems as compared to single polysaccharide or protein gels. The properties of these functional gels are heavily reliant upon the nature of protein‐polysaccharides interactions, their gelling compatibility, and mechanism. Pea protein isolate dispersions (7.5%) were subjected to limited enzymatic hydrolysis using the enzyme Alcalase® at three hydrolysis times (0, 3, and 6 min). Inulin was added according to three ratios (0, 1:4, and 2:4) with pea protein. Viscoelastic properties of the gels formed were measured using amplitude sweep and frequency sweep. Storage modulus (G′) measurements from the amplitude sweep indicated that samples hydrolyzed for 3 min with 1:4 ratio of inulin to pea protein had maximum gel strength, exhibiting G′ values of ∼307 Pa. G′ values for samples hydrolyzed for 0 and 6 min with different inulin ratios averaged ∼13 and ∼144 Pa, respectively. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed that gels developed by samples hydrolyzed for 3 min showed a dense network as compared to an open network in gels formed by samples hydrolyzed for 6 min, whereas large random aggregates were observed in gels formed by samples hydrolyzed for 0 min. The study confirmed that inulin promotes noncovalent bond formation in samples hydrolyzed for 3 min with a 1:4 inulin ratio, shown by an ∼18% increased protein solubility in urea. Additionally, collaboration between noncovalent bonds and disulfide linkages stabilized the gel structure, as indicated by further increase in solubility in combination of urea and Dithiothreitol.
Practical Application
Plant proteins are gaining attention as alternatives to animal proteins. However, they have inferior functionality, which affects their applicability in food products. This investigation aimed to evaluate enzymatic hydrolysis to enhance the structural and functional properties of pea proteins, thus increasing their applicability in the food industry. Inulin is an oligosaccharide and soluble fiber, which promotes gut health. Thus, gels combining hydrolyzed pea protein and inulin can serve as a model mixed food system of interest to both the industry and consumers.
... The different forms of inulin were classified based on their precipitation methods: α-inulin precipitated from water, β-inulin from ethanol, and γ-inulin and δ-inulin from water at increasing temperatures [166]. Inulin, a plant-derived polysaccharide, exhibits no immunological activity in its native soluble form; however, when crystallized into stable microcrystalline particles, such as γ-inulin, it gains potent adjuvant properties [167]. ...
Vaccines are an effective approach to confer immunity against infectious diseases. Modern subunit vaccines offer more precise target and safe protection compared to traditional whole-pathogen vaccines. However, subunit vaccines require adjuvants to stimulate the immune system due to the less immunogenicity. Adjuvants strengthen immunogenicity by enhancing, modulating, and prolonging the immune response. Unfortunately, few adjuvants have sufficient potency and low enough toxicity for clinical use, highlighting the urgent need for new vaccine adjuvants with the characteristics of safety, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness. Notably, some natural polysaccharides have been approved as adjuvants in human vaccines, owing to their intrinsic immunomodulation, low toxicity, and high safety. Natural polysaccharides are mainly derived from plants, bacteria, and yeast. Partly owing to the difficulty of obtaining them, synthetic polysaccharides emerged in clinical trials. The immune mechanisms of both natural and synthetic polysaccharides remain incompletely understood, hindering the rational development of polysaccharide adjuvants. This comprehensive review primarily focused on several promising polysaccharide adjuvants, discussing their recent applications in vaccines and highlighting their immune-modulatory effects. Furthermore, the future perspectives of polysaccharides offer insightful guidance to adjuvant development and application.
... Their degrees of polymerization affect/modify its physicochemical properties, consequently enhances the food shelf life, texture etc. [47,48]. Therefore, it can be used as facilitator for drug delivery [47,49], mineral absorption and bioavailability [50,51], appetite regulator [52], foam stabilizer/fat replacer in dairy products [53,54] and reducer for gastrointestinal disease [55], etc. Thus in the colloidal forms, enhanced surface activity of SAILs on coupling with biopolymers like inulin may be applied in the field of detergents [56], coating and paints [25], material synthesis [57], medication encapsulation/solubilization [47], etc. ...
Colloidal formulations of surface active ionic liquid (SAIL) have substantial benefit as efficient carrier mainly for therapeutic/pharmaceutical agents. In this regard, density (ρ) and speed of sound (u) have been employed to evaluate the diverse interactions/association behaviour of greener SAIL tetrabutylammonium dodecylsulphate (TBADS) (0.222 to 2.2 mmol kg-1) in aqueous inulin solutions (0.0, 0.2 and 0.3% w/w) at five different temperatures ranging from 293.15 K to 313.15 K. The volumetric and acoustic parameters viz. isentropic compressibility (κs), apparent molar volume (Vφ) and compressibility (κs,φ), intermolecular free length (Lf), relative association (RA), specific acoustic impedance (Z) and molar sound number ([U]) have been calculated by using density (ρ) and speed of sound (u) values. The existence of hydrophilic/hydrophobic interactions for TBADS in aqueous inulin solution is suggested by the variations in volumetric parameters, which further supported by various calculated acoustic parameters. Thus, the interactional outcomes can offer implications that stabilized inulin in the presence of SAILs and can be utilized for the optimal biotic actions.
... An abundant dietary fiber in escarole and endive is the prebiotic fiber, inulin (Shoaib et al. 2016 . Similarly, in another study, feeding endive leaves to diabetic mice helped mitigate liver-related symptoms that are characteristic of diabetes (Kamel et al. 2011). ...
Escaroles and endives are two leafy vegetables of the Compositae family rich in nutrients and minerals. Both crops are uncommon in the United States, but both are planted in wintertime in Florida and in other states such as California and New Jersey. This publication aims the public and inform of their use in the leafy vegetable industry in Florida. As other leafy vegetables, escaroles and endives are susceptible to pests and diseases and other physiological disorders such as pink rib at postharvest. Using the correct management practices and the correct cultivars adapted for Florida could help producers in fields and in the home garden to achieve a successful crop.
... Spray drying is a common method for obtaining encapsulated oleoresin flavours and aromas in powder form, suitable for incorporation into various matrices. Using inulin as a carrier meets technological and regulatory requirements, as it is biodegradable and has been Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) in the USA since 2002 (14). Microencapsulated oleoresins (ME), derived from aromatic plants and spices (15), have been applied in various food and culinary products (16), including fish (17), and fish products (18,19). ...
Introduction
Mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup are table sauces enjoyed worldwide, adding flavour and texture to many dishes. However, these products often contain high sodium content, which contributes to health issues such as high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. To address these concerns, reducing salt content in the sauces has become a significant goal for both manufacturers and consumers.
Objectives
This study investigates the effects of three formulations of microencapsulated (ME) oleoresins (F1, F2, and F3), derived from aromatic plants and spices, on the mineral content, physical–chemical properties, colour, and sensory profiles of mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup.
Results
The addition of ME ingredients resulted in significant reductions in salt content across all sauces, with reductions up to 50% in mayonnaise, 45% in mustard, and 52% in ketchup, aligning with EU sodium guidelines and allowing for a “reduced Na/NaCl content” nutrition claim. Potassium levels in mustard and ketchup were sufficient to support health claims related to blood pressure maintenance, while chloride content was reduced in ME formulations, better aligning with dietary reference values. Physical–chemical analysis revealed that ME ingredients had minimal impact on parameters like pH, lipid oxidation, and viscosity, although significant differences were observed in specific areas, such as the consistency of ketchup and chloride content in mustard and ketchup. The use of inulin, as a carrier agent, helped maintain the sauces rheological properties. Mustard showed the most similarity to the control in terms of physical–chemical parameters. Colour analysis indicated minimal changes in mayonnaise, moderate changes in mustard, and significant differences in ketchup, particularly with the ME-F3 formulation, where the light-yellow ME ingredients had a pronounced effect on the darker sauce. Despite these differences, the sensory analysis demonstrated that the overall sensory profiles of the ME formulations were similar the like control for all sauces. Mayonnaise showed the closest resemblance, while mustard had slightly lower scores in flavour and saltiness. Ketchup followed the same trend as mayonnaise, with no significant sensory differences compared to the control.
Conclusion
These findings suggest that ME ingredients can be effectively used in condiment reformulation to achieve significant salt reduction without compromising sensory qualities, while also supporting health-related claims. By incorporating ME-based salt reduction strategies and exploring low-sodium alternatives, consumers can continue to enjoy their favourite sauces while minimising sodium intake. Embracing these changes not only benefits personal health but also aligns with the industry’s commitment to offering more nutritious options.
... Por otro lado, Okafor y Usman 28 evaluaron la utilización de frijol de ñame africano en CLPC, concluyendo que su adición aumentó en el contenido de proteínas y CHO. Otra materia prima que ha sido ampliamente estudiada es la FD, específicamente la inulina, un tipo de FDS, la cual presenta diversas aplicaciones, destacando su uso como prebiótico, reemplazo de grasa, reemplazo de azúcar, modificador de textura y como ingrediente para el desarrollo de alimentos funcionales 29 . Diversos estudios han investigado el uso de FD en los cereales, Brennan et al. 30 utilizaron distintos tipos de FD (salvado de trigo, goma guar, almidón, inulina), con diferentes porcentajes de adición (5, 10 y 15%), en la elaboración de CLPC, concluyendo que la adición de FD redujo la cantidad de almidones de digestión rápida y aumentó los de digestión lenta. ...
Ready-to-eat cereals (RTE) represent a significant part of the breakfast cereal market and are an important component of the diet. This update article aims to describe the nutritional aspects, processing and health effects associated with the consumption of RTE. The technological processes of RTE manufacturing involve ingredient blending, processing temperatures, and grain refinement and extrusion methods. In response to consumer demands, the industry has improved processing technologies, increasing the diversification of raw materials and using strategies such as fortification to improve their nutritional quality. There is ample evidence to support the effects of RTE consumption on human health, highlighting its contribution to meeting recommended macro- and micronutrient intakes in adult and child populations. Moreover, consumption of RTE, especially whole grains, is associated with lower incidence of obesity and lower risk of developing chronic non-communicable diseases. In the pediatric population, the relationship between RTE consumption and improved diet quality is highlighted, although its impact on body weight and adiposity is still under discussion.
... The viscosity of banana hump inulin is still much greater than that of standard chicory inulin. According to Shoaib et al. (2016), a 30% chicory inulin solution has a viscosity of 100 mPas at a temperature of 10 o C. Another study by Hilman et al. (2018) showed that the viscosity of inulin from gembili at a temperature of 9 o C is 30 mPas. The high viscosity value of banana hump inulin is probably caused by the high starch content in banana hump inulin of 46,01%. ...
Inulin is a polysaccharide composed of 2-60 fructose monomers linked by β-(2,1) glycosidic bonds, with a glucose end group. The tuber of Musa balbisiana Colla (batu banana) is a part of the M. balbisiana Colla plant that contains dietary fiber 6,20%. The polysaccharide content allowed the batu banana tubers to contain inulin. The aim of this study was to determine the characteristics of inulin in batu banana tubers. The research method used was the experimental method, which was analyzed descriptively with two replicates at the Universitas Padjadjaran Laboratory of Jatinangor – Sumedang from May until October 2023. The parameters were inulin content, degree of polymerization (DP), reducing sugar content, moisture content, pH, solubility, water activity (aw), color L*, a*, and b*, viscosity, and sensory analysis using a descriptive method. The results showed that B. tuber inulin had an inulin content of 3,58%, DP of 2,8, reducing sugar content of 2,03%, moisture content of 8,47%, pH of 6,31, solubility of 21,70% (90°C), aw of 0,432, L* of 66,76, a* of 8,28, b* of 15,90, and viscosity of 2068 mPas (90°C). In conclusion, sensory analysis showed that batu banana tuber inulin has a darker color, bitter taste, stronger flavor, and softer texture than the commercial inulin.
... Pectin is a complex of acidic heteropolysaccharides based on homogalacturonan, rhamnogalacturonan I (RGI) and RGII, and xylogalacturonan [154]. Inulin is mainly made up of β-(2-1)-fructosylfructose linkages [155]. Alginate is a polysaccharide contained in the cell wall of brown seaweeds, and composed of two hexuronic acids, D-mannuronic acid and L-guluronic acid [156]. ...
Daily, a lot of food is wasted, and vegetables, fruit, and cereals as well as marine products represent the major sources of unwanted by-products. The sustainability, waste recovery, and revalorization of food by-products have been proposed as the main goals of the so-called circular economy. In fact, food wastes are enriched in by-products endowed with beneficial effects on human health. Grape, olives, vegetables, and rice contain different compounds, such as polyphenols, dietary fibers, polysaccharides, vitamins, and proteins, which exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, inhibiting pro-oxidant genes and the Nuclear Factor kappa-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells (NF-kβ) pathway, as demonstrated by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Dietary fibers act upon the gut microbiota, expanding beneficial bacteria, which contribute to healthy outcomes. Furthermore, marine foods, even including microalgae, arthropods, and wastes of fish, are rich in carotenoids, polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids, proteins, and chitooligosaccharides, which afford antioxidant and anti-inflammatory protection. The present review will cover the major by-products derived from food wastes, describing the mechanisms of action involved in the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities, as well as the modulation of the gut microbiota. The effects of some by-products have also been explored in clinical trials, while others, such as marine by-products, need more investigation for their full exploitation as bioactive compounds in humans.
... It is resistant to digestion in the small intestine but can be fermented in the large intestine, serving as a substrate for beneficial gut bacteria. Inulin has a low caloric value and is known for its prebiotic effects, aiding in digestive health and potentially offering other health benefits, such as improved lipid metabolism [23]. ...
Fructose is a carbohydrate with essential applications in the food industry, mainly due to its high sweetness and low cost. The present investigation focused on optimising fructose production from commercial inulin using the enzymatic immobilisation method and applying the response surface methodology in a 12-run central composite design. The independent variables evaluated were the pH (−) and temperature (°C). The substrate consisted of a commercial inulin solution at a concentration of 1 g/L, while the catalyst consisted of the enzyme inulinase from Aspergillus niger (EC 232-802-3), immobilised in 2% m/v sodium alginate. A stirred vessel reactor was used for 90 min at 120 rpm, and quantification of reducing sugars was determined using DNS colorimetric and UV–Vis spectrophotometric methods at a 540 nm wavelength. After applying the response surface methodology, it was determined that the catalytic activity using the immobilisation method allows for a maximum total productivity of 16.4 mg/h under pH and temperature of 3.9 and 37 °C, respectively, with an efficiency of 96.4%. The immobilised enzymes’ reusability and stability compared to free enzymes were evaluated, obtaining activity up to the fifth reuse cycle and showing significant advantages over the free catalyst.
... Isomaltooligosaccharides (IMOs) is attributed to their high digestibility in the gastrointestinal tract, which leads to the proliferation of bifidobacteria in the human gut (Subhan, et al., 2020). Inulin is a viable component for developing low-calorie food products that can help regulate the glucose level of individuals with diabetes (Shoaib, et al., 2016). Lactulose can be administered orally or as a rectal suppository to manage hepatic encephalopathy (Tungland, 2018). ...
Edible film and coating are nutritious and beneficial for the host as those are consumed with food. Among various edible films and coatings, this review focused on protein-based films and coatings due to their potential application as a carrier for bioactive compounds in the food and biomedical industries. Bioactive compounds such as probiotics, prebiotics, and phenolic compounds have shown promise in maintaining intestinal health. They enhance immune response, lower inflammation in gastrointestinal illnesses, and help to prevent colon cancer. However, these bioactive compounds are often susceptible to environmental factors such as temperature, oxygen, pH etc. Consequently, encapsulation of these compounds becomes essential to protect them from potential damage and ensure the delivery of these compounds into the host body while retaining their intended functional properties. Current trends involve incorporating phenolic compounds into films or encapsulating probiotics and prebiotics as core materials using different wall materials. These encapsulated compounds can be intake with the food. Ongoing research endeavors are dedicated to improve the mechanical properties or functional properties of edible films and coatings separately. This review aims to overcome existing limitations of encapsulation of bioactive compounds into various types of protein film and enhance the functionality and health benefits and unlock the application of protein-based edible films and coating in the food industry.
... Inulin is the most frequently used alternative wall material for polyphenols encapsulation by spray drying due to its additional beneficial prebiotic effect on the gut microflora. It also improves calcium absorption and decreases the risk of atherosclerosis and colon cancer (Shoaib et al., 2016). Inulin is a fructooligosaccharide, i.e., it consists of fructose units connected by a β (2-1) bond with glucose at the end of the chain (Bakowska- Barczak and Kolodziejczyk, 2011). ...
Spray drying is still the most significant method for polyphenols encapsulation, which offers numerous advantages such as facilitating the handling of unstable polyphenols from liquid extracts, improving their solubility, and enhancing stability, degradation protection, controlling or delaying the release, and masking unappealing tastes or odours. The selection of the most suitable wall material is one of the most challenging tasks. Over the past decade, there has been a growing trend toward using new types of wall materials for polyphenols encapsulation by spray drying, either as additional compounds or as complete substitutes for traditional wall materials. This review aims to present the properties and applications of such alternative green wall materials. The term “alternative green” refers to the origin of materials derived from by-products and waste.
... The gelling ability of IN is determined by the following: IN amount, total dry substance quantity, stirring parameters, and shearing equipment type; however, pH has no influence (between pH 4 and 9). Cryo-electron microscopy further showed that such IN gels are built into a threedimensional structure composed of usually un-dissolved IN fragments in water [18]. ...
Inulin (IN) is a prebiotic oligosaccharide reported in diverse sources of nature. The major sources encompass chicory, Jerusalem artichoke, onions, barley, garlic, rye, and wheat. The literature also reported its promising biological activities, e.g., antidiabetic, anticancer, antioxidant, immune-regulator and prebiotic for improving intestinal function, regulation of blood lipids, and so on. IN's molecular flexibility, stabilization, and drug-targeting potential make it a unique polymer in pharmaceutical sciences and biomedical engineering. Further, its nutritional value and diagnostic application also widen its scope in food and medical sciences. The hydroxyl groups present in its structure offer chemical modifications, which could benefit advanced drug delivery such as controlled and sustained drug delivery, enhancement of bioavailability, cellular uptake, etc. This work reviews the isolation and purification of IN. The study also provides glimpses of the chemistry, chemical modification, and applications in pharmaceutical sciences and drug delivery.
... Considering that inulin is a non-digestible carbohydrate, to improve the amount of soluble fiber available for fermentation of the colonic micro-flora, the two fractions were combined. Numerous published papers report that inulin, due to its chemical configuration, is not hydrolyzed by the characteristic enzymes of the human small intestine and a large part of its quantity reaches the colon, favoring the action of beneficial bacteria producing SCFAs, and permitting one to define inulin as a prebiotic dietary fiber [56,57]. ...
In the current study, the prebiotic potential of an innovative functional pasta enriched with 12% (w/w) inulin was investigated. To this aim, pasta was subjected to in vitro gastrointestinal digestion followed by simulated gut fermentation compared to the control pasta (CTRL) not containing inulin. The incorporation of inulin positively (p < 0.05) affected some organoleptic traits and the cooking quality of the final product, giving an overall score significantly higher than CTRL. The resultant essential amino acid content was similar in both pasta samples while the total protein content was lower in inulin-enriched pasta for the polymer substitution to durum wheat flour. The prebiotic potential of chicory inulin was preliminarily tested in in vitro experiments using seven probiotic strains and among them Lacticaseibacillus paracasei IMPC2.1 was selected for the simulated gut fermentation studies. The positive prebiotic activity score registered with the probiotic strain suggested the suitability of the inulin-enriched pasta with respect to acting as a prebiotic source favoring the growth of the probiotic strain and short chain fatty acid (SCFA) production. The present study contributes to broadening knowledge on the prebiotic efficacy of inulin when incorporated into a complex food matrix.
... The leaves and aerial parts of T. officinale are nutritionally rich and contain abundant carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins (A, E, C, and K), essential fatty acids, fibres, mineral elements, and natural antioxidants. In contrast, roots possess storage carbohydrates in inulin, which is used to develop functional foods as prebiotic and texture modifiers [79][80][81][82][83]. ...
Objectives
This review analyzed available literature on traditional/ethnomedicinal knowledge, phytochemical composition, anticancer activity reported in vitro and in vivo studies, and the toxicological activity of Taraxacum officinale. The aim is to provide an in-depth analysis of existing research on the anticancer potential of T. officinale.
Key findings
The data was extracted using four search engines, Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and Pubmed, and systematically analyzed to identify effective plant-based substances for cancer treatment. The different parts of the plant are the source of different bioactive compounds that exhibit several pharmacological activities like antidiabetic, hepatoprotective, antimicrobial, anticancer, analgesic, etc. Traditionally, it is used to treat various ailments such as migraines, cardiac complaints, jaundice, fever, liver and kidney disorders, and hepatitis. Different biologically active compounds isolated from T. officinale are widely investigated against various pharmacological activities, including cancer.
Summary
The available evidence on the bioactive potential of Taraxacum officinale provides direction for identifying and developing herbal agents to prevent different types of cancers in the future. However, there is a need to examine the clinical validation of pure compounds for drug development.
... Its passage through the upper digestive tract provides a sense of fullness without adding calories, resulting in a low caloric value (1.5 kcal/g or 6.3 kJ/g). This value is associated with energy obtained from the absorption of short-chain fatty acids in the colon (Yousefi et al., 2018;Shoaib et al., 2016).Top of Form Also, since the hormone insulin is not required for the inulin metabolism, it does not affect the postprandial blood glucose level, so people with diabetes tolerate it well (Rao et al., 2019). Based on scientific evidence, even the EFSA recognized inulin as a potent ally in which consuming foods containing non-digestible carbohydrates induces a lower postprandial glycemic rise after meals (EFSA, 2014). ...
This review explores the role of inulin, a natural prebiotic, delving into its transformative impact on the food industry, especially in creating functional products and assessing its impact on public health. Inulin, a versatile carbohydrate compound, not only acts as a fat replacer but also serves as a dietary fiber source, enhancing the overall nutritional value of the foods. Furthermore, inulin's fermentation by beneficial gut bacteria results in the production of short-chain fatty acids, contributing to colorectal cancer prevention and glycemic control, catering to the evolving preferences of health-conscious consumers.
Fiber-enriched breads are inferior to wheat flour (white) breads in terms of volume, taste, and textural characteristics. The aim of this study was to produce functional dietary fiber (DF)-enriched white bread (WB) with high consumer acceptance. Wheat fiber (WF) was added to wheat flour as an insoluble fiber source (5%); polydextrose and inulin were used as soluble fibers at three different concentrations (2, 4, and 6%) individually or in combination. Their effects on dough rheology (farinograph and extensograph properties) and bread properties (volume, baking loss, moisture, texture, color, sensory, and crumb-grain characteristics) were investigated. The addition of WF, polydextrose and inulin had significant effects on dough rheology and bread properties. Hardness, chewiness, cell density, and DF content of breads were generally increased, whereas volume yield, baking loss, moisture and porosity values decreased with increasing DF concentration. The bread with the highest DF content (PD6IN6) contained 7.1 times more DF than WB. According to the results of sensory analysis, except for the sample with 6% concentration of polydextrose and inulin, all the other breads had very high overall acceptance values. Although the breads produced in the study have a high fiber content, their important quality characteristics (moisture content, volume yield, cell density, color values and sensory properties) are similar to those of WB. As a result, the overall quality characteristics of bread made with different dietary fibers were maintained, and functional WB enriched with DF were produced with high consumer acceptance.
Cancer represents a significant impediment to the advancement of life expectancy across all nations globally.
Dietary fiber plays a significant role in gastrointestinal health. In order to thoroughly comprehend the protective effect of dietary fiber on calf intestinal health, we conducted a randomized controlled trial with135 calves. We profiled the gut bacterial community in fecal samples from calves without diarrhea at five time points (0, 7, 14, 28, and 56 days of age) using both 16s amplicon sequencing and metagenomic sequencing. Our findings revealed significantly elevated abundance of Bifidobacterium and Prevotella in the intestine of calves fed with dietary fiber compared to the control group. Bifidobacterium and Prevotella may mitigate intestinal damage and protect intestinal health by modulating secondary bile acid metabolism and flavonoid metabolism pathways. Furthermore, CAZy differential analysis reveals that feeding different dietary fibers can induce increased abundance of CAZymes. We also found that changes in CAZymes abundance induced by feeding different dietary fibers are associated with distinct intestinal microbial communities. This suggests that feeding different dietary fibers stimulates the colonization of different bacterial species in the intestine, thereby increasing the activity of carbohydrate metabolism enzymes in the calf intestinal microbiota. This lays the foundation for health management in calves during transition period. Additionally, our research revealed that calves fed with psyllium husk powder at 56 days of age harbored intergeneric symbiotic clusters in their intestines consisting of Clostridium, Prevotella, Bacteriodes, and others. The symbiosis among these microbial species may collectively maintain intestinal micro-environment in calves. This study provides initial insights into the effect of dietary fiber on pre-weaning calf intestinal microbiota and lays theoretical groundwork for further research into this area.
Fat plays a key role in the manufacturing of processed meat products with desired quality characteristics. However, due to the recent concern over the negative health implications of high fat meat products, by various health organizations (WHO/FAO/NHLBI); consumers are very much conscious about their nutrition and health and choose low fat meat products as these are perceived at least by many to be “better for you” than traditional counterparts that contain higher levels of animal fat. Reduction of fat in processed meat products is extremely challenging and poses difficulties in terms of appearance, flavour and texture besides health-conscious consumers continue to look for ways to improve nutritional habits without sacrificing psychological satisfaction. For this reason, a number of substances (such as carbohydrate, protein and lipid based) with high water binding capacity, able to promote the texture, mouth feel and form gels have been examined for their ability to replace fat and are called fat replacers. Fat replacers are substances which structurally may be considered fats, proteins or carbohydrates, that is, designed to replace all or part of the fat in a product, with minimum impact on the organoleptic quality of the food product, yielding fewer calories than fat. This chapter is aimed to summarize the recent approaches for the development of low-fat/reduced-fat processed meat products.
Obesity has become a serious epidemic problem in the world, and probiotics and prebiotics have been used to treat obesity. The effectiveness of diet therapy such as Clostridium butyricum (CB) and inulin supplementation in obesity and whether they can cooperate to produce better effects are still unclear. And during this process, intestinal flora play an important role, while the bacteria involved and the metabolic mechanism need to be explored. In this study, we successfully established a mouse obesity model with a high-fat diet (HFD) and divided it into three experimental groups: 7% CB (CB7), 7% CB + 1% inulin (C7G1), and 10% CB + 1% inulin (C10G). Dietary supplementation with CB and inulin could improve the glucose tolerance and intestinal microbial composition of obese mice, among which the simultaneous supplementation with 7% CB and 1% inulin (C7G1) has the most significant effect on obese mice fed with a HFD. It could significantly reduce the amount of total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein, improve abnormal glucose tolerance, and reduce abnormal blood glucose in obese mice. The intestinal flora of obese mice changed significantly, among which Lachnospiraceae_unclassified, Porphyromonaceae_unclassified, Olsenella, Bacteria_unclassified and Clostridiales_unclassified decreased due to the HFD, while Megamonas and Clostridium XIVa increased. After the supplementation with CB and inulin, the enrichment of three kinds of beneficial bacteria, Parabacteroides, Bacteroides, and Ruminococcaceae unclassified increased. The high-fat diet could upregulate the expression of FGF21, and the Clostridium butyricum and inulin supplemented diet could decrease the upregulation.
Replacing the amount of sugar in pastries with functional ingredients may be a strategy of interest to food manufacturers. Reducing the content of sugar in pastries and bakery products could be a measure to reduce diseases such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, tooth decay, and cognitive impairment. Additionally, energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and global warming potential are the main issues in sugar beet agricultural production systems. Due to the multiple roles that sugar has in the dough (i.e., provide energy, sweeten, improve the structural characteristics, extend shelf life, limit the swelling of the starch, give color and flavor to ripe products, and ensure the preservation of products), there have been attempts at substituting sugar in percentages of up to 100% in different products such as cakes, muffins, pies, biscuits, cookies, and bread. From the points of view of technology and consumer perception, the best substitutes are apple puree, inulin, oligofructose, stevia, apple pomace, polydextrose, dried apples, Nypa fruticans sap, grape juice/syrup, and date powder/syrup. Depending on the substituent, when substituting sugar in percentages from 10 to 100%, improvements were obtained in terms of texture, rheological properties, sensory properties, consumer acceptability, and physicochemical and nutritional properties.
Gelled emulsion systems offer promising matrices for encapsulating bioactive compounds, enhancing stability, bioavailability, and controlled release. Incorporating inulin-type dietary fibers into emulsion-filled gels can innovate food products. This study explored the impact of inulin concentration (0–15 % w/w) on visual aspect, microstructure, particle size distribution, creaming stability, rheological behavior, and encapsulation efficiency of emulsions and gelled emulsions with clove bud oil rich in eugenol. Regardless of inulin concentration, systems exhibited evenly distributed small oil droplets, ensuring good creaming stability. Emulsions with 10–15 % inulin formed gels upon natural cooling to approximately 30 °C. Viscoelastic properties varied with inulin concentration, attributed to increased polymer chain approximation and mobility. Higher inulin content decreased the transition temperature (66 °C, 56 °C, and 54 °C for 10 %, 12.5 %, and 15 % inulin, respectively). While inulin did not enhance creaming stability, it acted as a physical barrier, improving encapsulation efficiency of eugenol to nearly 100 %. Inulin-based emulsion-filled gels offer potential for functional food development, enriching nutritional value and health benefits.
In this study, novel functional ZEO-complex gels were prepared using sodium alginate, inulin, grape seed extract (GSE), and Zanthoxylum bungeanum essential oil (ZEO) as the primary raw materials. The effect of the addition of inulin, GSE, and ZEO on water vapor permeability (WVP), tensile strength (TS), and elongation at break (EAB) of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was investigated. A comprehensive score (Y) for evaluating the characteristics of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was established by principal component analysis. MATLAB analysis and box-Behnken design describe each factor’s four-dimensional and three-dimensional interactions. It was found that Y could reach the maximum value when the ZEO addition was at a moderate level (C = 2%). The optimum preparation process of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels was as follows: the addition of inulin was at 0.84%, the addition of GSE was at 0.04%, and the addition of ZEO was at 2.0785%; in this way, the Y of ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels reached the maximum (0.82276). Optical scanning and X-ray diffraction tests confirmed that the prepared ZEO-complex gels have a smooth and continuous microstructure, good water insulation, and mechanical properties. The storage test results show that ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels could play a significant role in the storage and fresh-keeping of grass carp, and the physicochemical properties of complex polysaccharide gels were improved by adding ZEO. In addition, according to the correlation of fish index changes during storage, adding ZEO in complex polysaccharide gels was closely correlated with the changes in fish TBARS and TVB-N oxidation decay indices. In conclusion, the ZEO-complex polysaccharide gels prepared in this study had excellent water insulation, mechanical properties, and outstanding fresh-keeping effects on grass carp.
Для изучения процесса экстракции инулина из корней одуванчика лекарственного было использовано 4 метода получения извлечения и пять степеней измельчения растительного сырья. По результатам выхода сухого экстракта и содержания в нем инулина (%) в качестве оптимального метода была выбрана экстракция с принудительной циркуляцией экстрагента, а рекомендуемая степень измельченности сырья составила 4–8 мм. Далее для оценки степени влияния гидромодуля экстракции, скорости циркуляции экстрагента, температуры процесса и продолжительности процесса экстракции инулина из корней одуванчика способом мацерации с принудительной циркуляцией экстрагента эксперименты оптимизировали, применяя метод математического планирования эксперимента по Боксу–Уилсону. Установлены следующие оптимальные режимы экстракции: экстрагент – вода очищенная, температура процесса – 80 °С, гидромодуль –
1 : 5, скорость циркуляции экстрагента – 90 л/ч, время экстракции – 5 ч. Исходя из результатов исследований, предложена трехкратная экстракция инулина из корней одуванчика с настаиванием при первом контакте фаз – 4 ч, при втором
и третьем – по 3 ч. Установленные условия экстракции позволили достичь 95.5% извлечения инулина из растительного сырья. //
The object of the present research is to select an effective method and optimal conditions for the extraction of inulin from the roots of the Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale Wigg.).
There were used 4 methods of extraction and five degrees of grinding of plant raw materials to study the process of inulin extraction from dandelion root. Based on the results of dry extract yield and inulin content (%), extraction with forced circulation
of the extractant was chosen as the optimal method, and the recommended degree of grinding of the raw material was 4-8 mm. Afterwards, experiments were optimized using the method of mathematical planning of experiments according to Box-Wilson method to evaluate the degree of influence of the extraction hydromodule, the rate of the extractant circulation, process temperature, and duration of inulin extraction from dandelion roots by maceration with forced circulation. The following optimal extraction modes were established: the extraction agent is purified water, the process temperature is 80 °C, the hydromodule is
1 : 5, the extractant circulation rate is 90 l/h, the extraction time is 5 hours. Based on the results of studies, it is proposed a threefold extraction of inulin from dandelion roots with infusion at the first contact phases – 4 hours, at the second and third - 3
hours each. The established extraction conditions made it possible to achieve 95.5% extraction of inulin from plant materials.
Human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs) are a diverse class of carbohydrates which support the health and development of infants. The vast health benefits of HMOs have made them a commercial target for microbial production; however, producing the approximately 200 structurally diverse HMOs at scale has proved difficult. Here we produce a diversity of HMOs by leveraging the robust carbohydrate anabolism of plants. This diversity includes high-value and complex HMOs, such as lacto-N-fucopentaose I. HMOs produced in transgenic plants provided strong bifidogenic properties, indicating their ability to serve as a prebiotic supplement with potential applications in adult and infant health. Technoeconomic analyses demonstrate that producing HMOs in plants provides a path to the large-scale production of specific HMOs at lower prices than microbial production platforms. Our work demonstrates the promise in leveraging plants for the low-cost and sustainable production of HMOs.
The global community has encountered numerous challenges concerning environmental sustainability, encompassing issues like waste generation, depletion of natural resources, air pollution, and other threats to human well-being. Consequently, the pursuit of an eco-friendly environment has emerged as a critical concern in recent years. Polysaccharides, being natural biopolymers, have garnered significant attention owing to their distinctive properties that make them versatile for various applications. Numerous sustainable and environmentally friendly polysaccharides, such as chitosan, cellulose, starch, hyaluronic acid, alginate, and inulin, have been identified. This article highlights the characteristics of renewable polysaccharides, their categorization, and their potential to contribute to environmental sustainability. It introduces environmentally friendly extraction methods aimed at minimizing chemical pollution. Through the careful selection of diverse polysaccharides and the application of functionalization techniques, the article suggests the possibility of obtaining suitable superabsorbent hydrogels, appropriate nanocomposites, and effective scaffolds. The significance of utilizing polysaccharide-based materials is explored in detail, emphasizing their exceptional properties. Additionally, the article discusses the various applications of eco-friendly polysaccharides as sustainable polymers, including in agriculture, biomedicine, and food packaging.
Inulin is polysaccharide chains comprised primarily of linked fructose molecules that are bifidogenic. Inulin-type prebiotics are used as functional food ingredients in beverages, yogurts, biscuits, and spreads; they are also used as dietary supplements. The objective of this study was to increase the yield of inulin by improving the inulin extraction from dahlia tubers. Inulin was isolated from fresh and chips of dahlia tubers. The dahlia tubers was blanched, sliced and blended by adding the hot water in ratio 1:1. inulin extract was evaporated and precipitated by 95% ethanol for 24hours in a room temperature. Inulin was separated and dried at 50°C for 24hours. Results showed that the best ratio of inulin extract and ethanol is 1: 2 and the highest yield of inulin powder was produced from inulin extract of 30.0% brix. Moreover, the yield of inulin which refer to fresh dahlia tubers is between 6.0 - 9.5% w/w.
Probiotic fermented ice-cream was produced from milk containing different sugar concentrations (15, 18 and 21%) with or without inulin addition (1 and 2 %). After heat treatment mixes were inoculated probiotic yogurt culture and incubated at 37°C until pH 5.5 was attained. Bacterial counts were determined immediately after fermentation of mix, after ripening of mix, after freezing and at days 7, 30, 60 and 90 of storage at -18°C. Physical, chemical and sensory analyses were carried out 1 week after production. Increasing sugar concentration stimulated physical and sensorial properties. The addition of inulin improved viscosity, first dripping and complete melting times, however, had no effect on the sensory properties. In spite of decreasing by 1.5-3.0 log unit in viable numbers in ice-cream at the end of the storage, they were found to be above the threshold for therapeutic minimum (10 6-107 cfu g-1). Increasing sugar concentration at first stimulated viable bacteria numbers and then caused reduction of them. Initial counts of the bacteria and their subsequent survival were better in the products supplemented with inulin. The results suggested that the addition of inulin stimulates the growth of L. acidophilus and B. lactis which results in improved viability of these organisms.
To characterize somatic alterations in colorectal carcinoma, we conducted a genome-scale analysis of 276 samples, analysing exome sequence, DNA copy number, promoter methylation and messenger RNA and microRNA expression. A subset of these samples (97) underwent low-depth-of-coverage whole-genome sequencing. In total, 16% of colorectal carcinomas were found to be hypermutated: three-quarters of these had the expected high microsatellite instability, usually with hypermethylation and MLH1 silencing, and one-quarter had somatic mismatch-repair gene and polymerase ε (POLE) mutations. Excluding the hypermutated cancers, colon and rectum cancers were found to have considerably similar patterns of genomic alteration. Twenty-four genes were significantly mutated, and in addition to the expected APC, TP53, SMAD4, PIK3CA and KRAS mutations, we found frequent mutations in ARID1A, SOX9 and FAM123B. Recurrent copy-number alterations include potentially drug-targetable amplifications of ERBB2 and newly discovered amplification of IGF2. Recurrent chromosomal translocations include the fusion of NAV2 and WNT pathway member TCF7L1. Integrative analyses suggest new markers for aggressive colorectal carcinoma and an important role for MYC-directed transcriptional activation and repression.
Supplementary information
The online version of this article (doi:10.1038/nature11252) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
This study evaluated the prebiotic effects of dietary inulin and Jerusalem artichoke tuber (JA) on juvenile Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus). Five dietary treatments (each diet in four replicates) were formulated to incorporate inulin at 0 (control), 2.5, and 5 g kg−1 and JA at 5 and 10 g kg−1. Fish were reared in concrete ponds for 8 weeks. Fish fed the inulin diets exhibited better growth performance than fish fed the control diet, and fish fed the JA diets had the best growth performances among all diets tested. Dietary inulin and JA increased red blood cell number. Among the fourteen blood chemicals examined, dietary inulin or JA led to increased glucose, albumin, protein, magnesium, calcium, and iron content (P < 0.05). Inulin supplementation at 5 g kg−1 improved lysozyme activity and alternative complement haemolytic 50 (ACH50) activity. Dietary JA increased total immunoglobulin content, lysozyme activity, and ACH50 activity. Dietary inulin or JA increased the height of intestinal villi and goblet cell number. These findings indicate that inulin at 5 g kg−1 had beneficial prebiotic effects on juvenile Nile tilapia and that direct supplementation with JA at 10 g kg−1 had positive effects on growth and health. Thus, both inulin and JA have great potential for use as prebiotics in fish feed.
The content of inulin in common garlic (Allium sativum) by means of standardized procedure and the use of High performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) was determined. A multifactorial design 2^3 by using the software Statgraphics V. 16 was carried out. Two independent variables at three levels were selected: temperature: 302 K, 328 K, 353 K and relationships water volume-garlic mass of 2/200 g, 3/200 g and 4/200 g of Allium sativum. Extraction time was fixed at 45 min and at constant agitation of 250 rpm for all the experiments. The maximum extraction of inulin was obtained at 353 K and at relationship water/garlic equal to 4/200 g. The procedure presented is reliable and reproducible extracting and determining inulin from vegetable species at laboratory level.
To investigate fiber and prebiotic supplementation of enteral nutrition (EN) for diarrhea, fecal microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, Academic Search Premier, and Web of Science databases were searched for human experimental and observational cohort studies conducted between January 1990 and June 2014. The keywords used for the literature search were fiber, prebiotics and enteral nutrition. English language studies with adult patient populations on exclusive EN were selected. Abstracts and/or full texts of selected studies were reviewed and agreed upon by two independent researchers for inclusion in the meta-analysis. Tools used for the quality assessment were Jadad Scale and the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network Critical Appraisal of the Medical Literature.
A total of 456 possible articles were retrieved, and 430 were excluded due to lack of appropriate data. Of the 26 remaining studies, only eight investigated the effects of prebiotics. Results of the meta-analysis indicated that overall, fiber reduces diarrhea in patients receiving EN (OR = 0.47; 95%CI: 0.29-0.77; P = 0.02). Subgroup analysis revealed a positive effect of fiber supplementation in EN towards diarrhea in stable patients (OR = 0.31; 95%CI: 0.19-0.51; P < 0.01), but not in critically ill patients (OR = 0.89; 95%CI: 0.41-1.92; P = 0.77). Prebiotic supplementation in EN does not improve the incidence of diarrhea despite its manipulative effect on bifidobacteria concentrations and SCFA in healthy humans. In addition, the effect of fiber and/or prebiotic supplementation towards fecal microbiota and SCFA remain disputable.
Fiber helps minimize diarrhea in patients receiving EN, particularly in non-critically ill patients. However, the effect of prebiotics in moderating diarrhea is inconclusive.
Thirteen plants and their parts acquired from southern Thailand were investigated for their polysaccharide contents and prebiotic properties. The fresh, ground samples were extracted with 50% and 95% ethanol and water at ambient and boil-ing temperatures. The extracts were freeze-dried, digested with HCl buffer and -amylase, and indigestible polysaccharide contents were determined. Base on extract yields and indigestible polysaccharide contents, ten samples were chosen as potential sources of prebiotics. These included embryo, flesh and pericarp of palm fruit (Borrassus flabellifer L.), skin, flesh and seed of jackfruit (Artocarpus heterophyllus Lam.), flesh of rambutan (Nephelium lappaceum L.), jampadah (Artocarpus integer Merr.), and young coconut (Cocos nucifera Linn.), and okra pod (Hibiscus esculentus Linn.). Their extract yields (% dry wt) were 26. mg/g dry extract, respec-tively. Subsequently, five samples were chosen for further studies and possible commercial development based on their extract yield, the amount and type of oligosaccharides, i.e. palm flesh, palm embryo, jackfruit flesh, jackfruit seed, and okra pod. Molecular weights of the polysaccharides from the five samples were 190-1,600 Daltons with a degree of polymerization of 5-6.
The objective of this study was to examine the effect of inulin as a fat replacer on selected physicochemical properties and microstructure of acid casein processed cheese analogues with added whey protein polymers. Meltability generally decreased, whereas textural properties such as hardness, adhesiveness, viscosity and density increased with increasing protein concentrations. In general, partial replacement of milk fat with inulin increased meltability, density, cohesiveness and viscosity (the latter only for 1 % inulin), but it decreased sample hardness and adhesiveness. At the first stage of heating, the values of storage and loss moduli decreased with an increase in temperature, but increased at >41 °C in cheese analogues, in particular in products with lower milk fat levels and higher inulin content. All of the tested samples exhibited good melting properties. The addition of inulin to cheese samples did not influence their water activity, but altered their color. Confocal microscopy revealed that the highest hardness values could be attributed to more intense distribution of fat droplets in the sample with the highest fat content. Our results suggest that milk fat in processed cheese analogues can be partially replaced with inulin to improve the functional properties of the final product.
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Garlic is traditionally believed to have many health benefits including prevention of gastrointestinal diseases. One of the major components, garlic fructan (GF), was evaluated for its prebiotic effectiveness on human intestinal microflora. Garlic fructans A (DP 16) and B (DP 21) were prepared by ethanol fractionation precipitation. Then, they were added to an in vitro fermentation system as the sole carbon source inoculated with human fecal suspension. The total anaerobic bacteria, Bacteroides and Bifidobacteria, were enumerated by plate counting on selective media. Terminal restriction fragment length polymerization (tRFLP) was used to analyze DNA extracted from the in vitro cultures. The results indicated that the log CFUs of both Bacteroides (GF A 6.96, GF B 7.15) and Bifidobacteria (GF A 7.74, GF B 7.74) grown in the GF cultures at 24 h were significantly higher than those at 0 h (Bacteroides 4.93, Bifidobacteria 4.78) (P < 0.05). Terminal restriction fragments (TRFs) 256–258 bp (ascribed to Bifidobacterium) in the profiles were also observed higher in the TRFLP profiles from the garlic fructans’ cultures. In this study, GFs were found to selectively stimulate the growth of beneficial Bifidobacteria from human fecal microflora. The prebiotic effectiveness of GFs supports the use of garlic as a way to prevent some gastrointestinal diseases.
Eating disorders such as anorexia (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) are characterized by abnormal eating behavior. The essential aspect of AN is that the individual refuses to maintain a minimal normal body weight. The main features of BN are binge eating and inappropriate compensatory methods to prevent weight gain. The gut-brain-adipose tissue (AT) peptides and neutralizing autoantibodies play an important role in the regulation of eating behavior and growth hormone release. The mechanisms for controlling food intake involve an interplay between gut, brain, and AT. Parasympathetic, sympathetic, and serotoninergic systems are required for communication between brain satiety centre, gut, and AT. These neuronal circuits include neuropeptides ghrelin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), peptide YY (PYY), cholecystokinin (CCK), leptin, putative anorexigen obestatin, monoamines dopamine, norepinephrine (NE), serotonin, and neutralizing autoantibodies. This extensive and detailed report reviews data that demonstrate that hunger-satiety signals play an important role in the pathogenesis of eating disorders. Neuroendocrine dysregulations of the AT-gut-brain axis peptides and neutralizing autoantibodies may result in AN and BN. The circulating autoantibodies can be purified and used as pharmacological tools in AN and BN. Further research is required to investigate the orexigenic/anorexigenic synthetic analogs and monoclonal antibodies for potential treatment of eating disorders in clinical practice.
Recent advances in biosciences support the hypothesis that diet modulates various body functions. Diet may maintain well-being and reduce the risk of some diseases. Such discoveries have led to the concept of “functional food” and the development of the new discipline, i.e., “functional food science.” A practical and simple definition of a “functional food” is a food for which a claim has been authorized. The food components to be discussed as potential “functional food ingredients” are the inulin-type fructans, i.e., chicory inulin and oligofuctose. The targets for their effects are the colonic microflora, the gastrointestinal physiology, the immune functions, the bioavailability of minerals, the metabolism of lipids and colonic carcinogenesis. Potential health benefits include reduction of risk of colonic diseases, noninsulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis and cancer. The documentation of such benefits requires scientific evidence that must be evaluated in terms of “health claims.” Previous assessments have concluded that, in terms of “functional claims,” strong evidence exists for a prebiotic effect and improved bowel habit. The evidence for calcium bioavailability is promising, and positive modulation of triglyceride metabolism is undergoing preliminary evaluation. Scientific research still must be done to support any “disease risk reduction claim,” but sound hypotheses do already exist for designing the relevant human nutrition trials.
Recent advances in biosciences support the hypothesis that diet modulates various body functions. Diet may maintain well-being and reduce the risk of some diseases. Such discoveries have led to the concept of "functional food" and the development of the new discipline, i.e,, "functional food science." A practical and simple definition of a "functional food" is a food for which a claim has been authorized. The food components to be discussed as potential "functional food ingredients" are the inulin-type fructans, i.e,, chicory inulin and oligofuctose. The targets for their effects are the colonic microflora, the gastrointestinal physiology, the immune functions, the bioavailability of minerals, the metabolism of lipids and colonic carcinogenesis. Potential health benefits include reduction of risk of colonic diseases, noninsulin-dependent diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis and cancer. The documentation of such benefits requires scientific evidence that must be evaluated in terms of "health claims." Previous assessments have concluded that, in terms of "functional claims," strong evidence exists for a prebiotic effect and improved bowel habit. The evidence for calcium bioavailability is promising, and positive modulation of triglyceride metabolism is undergoing preliminary evaluation. Scientific research still must be done to support any "disease risk reduction claim," but sound hypotheses do already exist for designing the relevant human nutrition trials.
Inulin constitutes an important food ingredient, widely used for its fiber content, and its ability to substitute fat and sugar ingredients. Traditionally, industrial inulin production from chicory roots requires high extraction temperature (70-80 ºC) and long extraction time (1-2 h). This conventional extraction is generally accompanied with the presence of a large amount of impurities in the extracted juice, mainly due to the application of high temperature, requiring thus further purification steps. To overcome these issues, developing novel extraction technologies, less consuming energy, faster and providing high yield and purity, is of a paramount importance to meet the requirements of a green extraction concept. In this review, the feasibility of using conventional and new promising technologies (enzyme assisted extraction, ultrasounds, microwaves, supercritical fluid extraction, and pulsed electric fields) to recover inulin from plant food materials and by-products from an environmental and economical point of view will be discussed.
The human immune system is arguably the most complex system in the human body. It is comprised of dozens of completely distinct cell types, each with its own set of signaling molecules, antigen-recognition mechanisms and effector functions. This complexity allows the immune system to respond to the potentially millions of distinct foreign antigens that it might encounter, from bacteria, viruses and other microscopic pathogens, to the body's own cells when they go awry in diseases such as cancer. This chapter provides an overview of the central cellular architecture of the immune system and describes the ways in which its cells are regulated during the immune response. We are now entering an era in which we have a sufficiently deep understanding of these fundamental regulatory mechanisms that they can be harnessed to provide a highly selective therapeutic strategy for targeting cancer cells.
Stabilisers, thickeners and gelling agents are extracted from a variety of natural raw materials and incorporated into foods to give the structure, flow, stability and eating qualities desired by consumers. These additives include traditional materials such as starch, a thickener obtained from many land plants; gelatine, an animal by-product giving characteristic melt-in-the-mouth gels; and cellulose, the most abundant structuring polymer in land plants. Seed gums and other materials derived from sea plants extend the range of polymers. Recently-approved additives include the microbial polysaccharides of xanthan, gellan and pullulan. This book is a highly practical guide to the use of polymers in food technology to stabilise, thicken and gel foods, resulting in consistent, high quality products. The information is designed to be easy to read and assimilate. New students will find chapters presented in a standard format, enabling key points to be located quickly. Those with more experience will be able to compare and contrast different materials and gain a greater understanding of the interactions that take place during food production. This concise, modern review of hydrocolloid developments will be a valuable teaching resource and reference text for all academic and practical workers involved in hydrocolloids in particular, and food development and production in general.
IntroductionRaw materialsProductionFunctional propertiesFood applicationsFuture developments
Arabinoxylan (AX) is a non-starch polysaccharide found in many cereal grains and is considered as a dietary fiber. Despite their general structure, there is structural heterogeneity among AX originating from different botanical sources. Furthermore, the extraction procedure and hydrolysis by xylolytic enzymes can further render differences to theses AX. The aim of this review was to address the effects of AX on the gut bacteria and their immunomodulatory properties. Given the complex structure of AX, we also aimed to discuss how the structural heterogeneity of AX affects its role in bacterial growth and immunomodulation. The existing literature indicates the role of fine structural details of AX on its potential as polysaccharides that can impact the gut associated microbial growth and immune system.
Microwave assisted extraction (MAE) and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) methods using water as solvent have been optimized by means of a Box-Behnken and 32 composite experimental designs, respectively, for the effective extraction of bioactive carbohydrates (inositols and inulin) from artichoke (Cynara scolymus L.) external bracts. MAE at 60 °C for 3 min of 0.3 g of sample allowed the extraction of slightly higher concentrations of inositol than PLE at 75 °C for 26.7 min (11.6 mg/g dry sample vs. 7.6 mg/g dry sample). On the contrary, under these conditions, higher concentrations of inulin were extracted with the latter technique (185.4 mg/g vs. 96.4 mg/g dry sample), considering two successive extraction cycles for both techniques. Both methodologies can be considered appropriate for the simultaneous extraction of these bioactive carbohydrates from this particular industrial by-product. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that these techniques are applied for this purpose.
Jerusalem artichoke ( Helianthus tuberosus L.) tubers have many health benefits and are suitable for human consumption. The tubers store energy as the fructose polymer inulin. The content of inulin and the degree of polymerization is dependent on cultivar, growing conditions, harvest time, and the maturity of the tubers. Jerusalem artichoke tubers can be stored in the field during winter, or in cold rooms. During storage inulin is degraded, and shorter chain inulin polymers and sucrose are formed. The content of phenolic compounds in Jerusalem artichoke tubers is highest in mature tubers and declines during winter. The major phenolic compounds are the phenolic acids chlorogenic acid, gallic acid, salicylic acid, and caffeic acid. The content of phenolic compounds is 2-12 times higher in the peel than in the flesh of the tubers.
Agave fructans are complex mixtures of branched fructose polymers with different-sized chains containing β(2-1) and β(2-6) linkages. In the last decade, the interest in studying the functional properties of agave fructans has increased. However, only a few studies in vivo and in vitro are available in the literature. These reports include studies of the prebiotic effect in obesity, blood lipids, cholesterol, and toxicological and immunological studies. This chapter includes information about studies on agave fructans from different sources implicated in health and gives special attention to immune aspects as a prospective field of investigation. Comparisons between inulin-type fructans and agave fructans are discussed.
Pfaffia glomerata (Amaranthaceae) is popularly known as "Brazilian ginseng." Previous studies have shown that fructose is the major carbohydrate component present in its roots. Inulin-type fructans, polymers of fructose, are the most widespread and researched prebiotics. Here, we isolated and chemically characterized inulin extracted from P. glomerata roots and investigated its potential prebiotic effect. Fructans were isolated and their structures were determined using colorimetric, chromatography, polarimetry, and spectroscopic analysis. The degree of polymerization (DP) was determined, and an in vitro prebiotic test was performed. The structure of inulin was confirmed by chromatography and spectroscopic analysis and through comparison with existing data. Representatives from the genera Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium utilized inulin from P. glomerata, because growth was significantly stimulated, while this ability is strain specific. The results indicated that inulin extracted from P. glomerata roots represents a promising new source of inulin-type prebiotics.
Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.
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.
Ghrelin, a novel GH-releasing acylated peptide, was recently isolated from rat stomach. It stimulated the release of GH from the anterior pituitary through the GH secretagogue receptor (GHS-R). Ghrelin messenger RNA and the peptide are present in rat stomach, but its cellular source has yet to be determined. Using two different antibodies against the N- and C-terminal regions of rat ghrelin, we identified ghrelin-producing cells in the gastrointestinal tracts of rats and humans by light and electron microscopic immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization combined with immunohistochemistry. Ghrelin-immunoreactive cells, which are not enterochromaffin-like cells, D cells, or enterochromaffin cells, accounted for about 20% of the endocrine cell population in rat and human oxyntic glands. Rat ghrelin was present in round, compact, electron-dense granules compatible with those of X/A-like cells whose hormonal product and physiological functions have not previously been clarified. The localization, population, and ultrastructural features of ghrelin-producing cells (Gr cells) indicate that they are X/A-like cells. Ghrelin also was found in enteric endocrine cells of rats and humans. Using two RIAs for the N- and C-terminal regions of ghrelin, we determined its content in the rat gastrointestinal tract. Rat ghrelin was present from the stomach to the colon, with the highest content being in the gastric fundus. Messenger RNAs of ghrelin and GHS-R also were found in these organs. Ghrelin probably functions not only in the control of GH secretion, but also in the regulation of diverse processes of the digestive system. Our findings provide clues to additional, as yet undefined, physiological functions of this novel gastrointestinal hormone.
Background: The prebiotics concept, which was launched in 1995, concerns nondigested and selectively fermented carbohydrate food ingredients. It was thought that their effect in the colon could reduce risk for disease. The prebiotic concept is revisited and possible mechanisms are proposed. The physiologic consequences of prebiotic consumption are evaluated in terms of potential to reduce risk for disease. This is a compilation of several research papers, each of which complied with the World Medical Association Declaration of Helsinki. Methods: For human dietary intervention trials, the aim was to perform double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over studies. A parallel design was used only for long-term studies. Most research has been done with β(2-1) fructans, so they are used as an example of prebiotics here. Results: The results are relevant to the fields of gut function, lipid metabolism, mineral absorption, bone formation, immunology, and cancer. Conclusion: It is observed that modification of intestinal flora by inherently selectively fermented prebiotics is central in determining their nutritional properties. They interact positively through the large intestinal surface with various physiologic processes and are thought to improve health status by reducing risk for disease (markers).
The effect of inulin addition at low concentrations (0.1-0.5%) on the thermal gelation of oat protein gels was investigated using textural profile analysis, rheological measurements and microstructure observation through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM). Results indicate that oat protein hexamers were dissociated with heat into monomers, which then became the reactive units involved in the development of a unique percolating network. The major forces responsible for the establishment of the structure were disulphide bonds, as well as hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic forces. A small amount of inulin can greatly increase the compressive stress of the gels prepared at pH 7 from 13.93 to 22.98 kPa. This is related to the phase separation phenomena produced during heating, which increased the apparent protein concentration. Moreover, inulin formed nanoparticles in the void spaces of the protein network performing a filling effect and creating junction zones. Localized interactions such as hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds were possible between protein and inulin at the borders of junction zones. This research has provided a new approach to make strong oat protein gels at neutral pH. Future applications may promote the utilization of oat protein as a plant derived gelling ingredient in a wide range of food applications.
The tubers of Jerusalem artichoke are rich of inulin, which makes the plant one of primary inulin resources in China. The aim of this study was to extract inulin from tubers and test the degree of polymerization (DP) 10 days before flowering to 80 days after flowering. The DP of inulin reaches a maximum of 19 at 50 days after flowering. The variation tendencies of inulin content and DP were almost the same, which increase rapidly at the beginning and then decrease gradually at a lower speed. Meanwhile, the effects of inulin on probiotics in yogurt have been evaluated. It indicated that inulin with low DP has higher activities. Experimental data improve the understanding of status change of inulin in whole growth of Jerusalem artichoke tubers in Northeastern China and are instructive to get inulin with different properties.
This paper focuses on the physicochemical characterization of inulin, an important fructooligosaccharide with dietary fiber properties, and its dependence on water sorption properties. The moisture sorption isotherm of inulin was determined at 25°C and fitted to the GAB model. Inulin's glass transition temperature (Tg) was measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as a function of water content; the Gordon–Taylor equation was used to fit the experimental data. Relative crystallinity of inulin was determined by X-ray diffraction and DSC studies. Native inulin was found to be a semi-crystalline material, which, at 25°C and storage water activity values below 0.75, was found in a glassy state. When pre-solubilized, inulin's relative crystallinity depended on moisture content: crystallinity was low at low moisture contents, while, at water activities above 0.75 (conditions above Tg), it recrystallized and reached native inulin's crystallinity level.
Dietary fibre enrichment of white bread with inulin-rich carbohydrate (IRC) powder extracted from Jerusalem artichoke tubers (IRC-J) was studied. Previously, it was shown that this IRC-J powder had higher prebiotic activity score than a commercial chicory inulin (IRC-C) powder, used for comparison. For bread making, 2.5 and 5.0 g of either IRC-J or IRC-C were added to 100 g of wheat flour, and the effects on dough viscoelastic properties and bread quality properties were analyzed, relative to a control sample (no IRC added). The lowest IRC concentration of both fibres had no significant effect on the elastic modulus (G’) of the dough, but the highest IRC level decreased G’, with a stronger effect of IRC-J. This was attributed to disruption of the starch-gluten matrix due to fibre replacement of flour. In turn, this was thought to impair gas retention (known as diluting effect), resulting in the observed decrease of bread specific volume and Cell/Total Area ratio, and the increase in crumb hardness and chewiness. IRC addition also had a significant effect on crumb and crust colour, and other crumb grain features. These effects were more significant at the highest IRC concentration of both fibres. Breads with 5.0 g of IRC-J were significantly darker, flatter, and more humid. All the sensory attributes of breads with 0 (control sample), 2.5 g IRC-J, and 2.5 g IRC-C were acceptable, and no significant differences were found between the three samples, in any of the attributes.
The functional effects of lipase (0.003 and 0.006 g/100 g of flour) and emulsifier (0.5 and 1 g/100 g of flour) on fat-replaced (0%, 50% and 70%) batters and cakes with inulin (0, 7.5 and 10 g/100 g/of flour, respectively) were studied. Emulsifier addition significantly lowered the relative density of the batter. Emulsifier incorporation increased the viscoelastic properties of the batter. In contrast, lipase incorporation decreased the degree of system structuring. The evolution of the dynamic moduli and complex viscosity with rising temperatures were studied. Batters with 1 g/100 g emulsifier displayed a significantly lower complex viscosity during heating, resulting in collapsed cakes. Differential scanning calorimetry results revealed that the thermal setting in the control cakes occurred at higher temperatures, and accordingly, greater cake expansion was observed. Cakes with 0.003 g/100 g lipase or 0.5 g/100 g emulsifier displayed volume and crumb cell structure that were similar to those of control cakes. Higher concentrations of both improvers gave rise to cakes with lower volume, higher hardness and lower springiness. During storage time, cakes with lipase displayed lower hardness. Both improvers, at low concentrations, could improve certain physical characteristics, such as crumb structure, of fat-replaced cakes with inulin.
Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) and inulin were added during microencapsulation of Lactobacillus acidophilus 5 and Lactobacillus casei 01 in alginate beads coated with chitosan at the concentrations of 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5%. Addition of prebiotics significantly (p < 0.05) increased the bead size by approximately 3.8%. The presence of GOS (0.3%) in the microencapsulation provided the best protection with only 3.1 and 2.9 logs reduction for L. acidophilus 5 and L. casei 01, respectively, after incubation in simulated gastric juice (pH 1.55), followed by simulate intestinal juice containing 0.6% bile salt. The viabilities of microencapsulated probiotics containing 1.5% GOS in commercial yogurt and orange juice were also performed at refrigerated storage for 4 weeks. In yogurt, the numbers of cells with GOS were higher than those of without GOS by approximately 1.1 and 0.4 logs for L. acidophilus 5 and L. casei 01, respectively. In orange juice, the numbers of cells with GOS were higher than those of without GOS by approximately 0.5 and 0.4 logs for L. acidophilus 5 and L. casei 01, respectively. The numbers of probiotic bacteria were maintained above the recommended therapeutic minimum (107 cfu g−1 or mL−1 of product) throughout the storage in both products.
Because a high fat content in foods is associated with health disorders, consumers demand low fat products, but without any loss of their texture quality. The instrumental texture and sensory properties of biscuits in which 15 and 30 g/100 g of the fat has been replaced by two different carbohydrate-based fat replacers (inulin and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose) were studied. The instrumental texture measurements showed that inulin and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC) biscuits were harder and the sound emissions were higher than for the control biscuits. The trained sensory panel rated the biscuit with 15 percent fat replacement by inulin as crisper than the control. The consumer study revealed that fat replacement up to 15 g/100 g with inulin or HPMC provided acceptable biscuits, but higher replacement decreased the overall acceptability.
The effects of fat substitution using two commercial inulin products on the physico-chemical properties and eating quality of a comminuted meat product (breakfast sausage) were modelled using a specialised response surface experiment specially developed for mixtures. 17 treatments were assigned representing a different substitution level for fat with inulin. Sausages were formulated to contain pork shoulder, back fat/inulin, water, rusk and seasoning (44.3, 18.7, 27.5, 7 and 2.5% w/w). Composition, sensory, instrumental texture and colour characteristics were assessed. Fructan analysis showed that inulin was unaffected by heat or processing treatments. Models showed increasing inulin inclusions decreased cook loss (p<0.0017) and improved emulsion stability (p<0.0001) but also resulted in greater textural and eating quality modification of sausages. Hardness values increased (p<0.0001) with increasing inulin concentration, with panellists also scoring products containing inulin as less tender (p<0.0112). Optimisation predicted two acceptable sausage formulations with significantly lower fat levels than the control, which would contain sufficient inulin to deliver a prebiotic health effect.
Inulin is a natural storage polysaccharide with a large variety of food and pharmaceutical applications. It is widely distributed in plants, being present as storage carbohydrate in more than 30,000 vegetable products. Due to their wide distribution in nature and significant role in industry, the extraction, isolation and characterization of inulin-type fructans are gaining attention in recent years. Inulin sources have recently received increasing interest as they are a renewable raw material for the production of bioethanol, fructose syrup, single-cell protein and single cell oil, obtainment of fructooligosaccharides and other useful products. This review focuses on the state-of-the-art of biochemical and pharmaceutical technology of inulin-type fructans.