Features:
- Describes inulin and oligofructose and demonstrates how they are used in food products
- Presents data showing their behavior as resistant carbohydrates and prebiotics
- Reviews data on their effects on calcium bioavailability and lipid metabolism
- Discusses potential applications to stimulate the body's defenses and to modulate cancer risk
- Assesses health claims on inulin and oligofructose as functional food ingredients
Written by one of the leading researchers in the field, Inulin-Type Fructans: Functional Food Ingredients describes inulin-type fructans and explains how they can be analyzed, quantified, and used in a wide variety of food products. The text evaluates the nutritional properties of inulin-type fructans, focusing on their behavior in the upper gastrointestinal tract that have led to their classification as dietary fiber and low calorie carbohydrates.
Following a review of the selective and beneficial modification of the intestinal microflora that led to the discovery of prebiotics, Inulin-Type Fructans: Functional Food Ingredients concentrates on the relationship of inulin and oligofructose to lipid metabolism, carcinogenesis, mineral absorption, and the immune system. The text concludes with a general discussion of the classification of inulin-type fructans as functional food ingredients.
Each chapter begins with background information on the physiology and biochemistry of the particular function covered as well as on the methodology used to assess these functions, and concludes with a summary of the results and perspectives on future development. The combination of authoritative research data and insightful perspectives provides a comprehensive overview of this growing field.
Contents
Functional Foods and Claims: Concepts, Strategy of Development, Requirements for the Scientific Substantiation of Claims and Communication to Consumers
- Nutrition in the 20th Century: From Prevention to Deficiencies to Reduction of
- Risk Due to Excessive Consumption of Nutrients
- Nutrition at the Turn of the 20th Century: The new Challenges
- The Concept of Optimum Nutrition
- Functional Food: A Nutrient Concept
- Functional Food: A Consensus of the European Scientific Community
- Strategy for the Development of Functional Food
- Type A and Type B Claims
- The Communication Challenge
- Communication of the Functional Effects of a Prebiotic: An Example
- Perspectives in Functional Food Development and the Case of the Prebiotics
The Gastrointestinal System: A Major Target for Functional Foods
- The Anatomy of the Gastrointestinal System
- The Digestive Functions
- The Motility
- The Endocrinology: Peptide Hormones
- The Defense Mechanisms
Inulin: A Fractan
- Fructans
- Inulin
- Chicory Inulin
The Digestive Functions: Inulin-Type Fructans as Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides
- Digestion of Carbohydrates in the Gastrointestinal Tract
- The Absorption of Hexoses in the Small Intestine
- Inulin-Type Fructans as Non-Digestible Ologosaccharides (NDOS)
- Inulin-Type Fructans as Non-Digestible Oligosaccharides: Discussion and Conclusion
The Digestive Functions: Inulin-Type Fructans as Fermentable Carbohydrates
- The Colon as a Fermenter
- The Anaerobic Fermentation of Proteins
- The Anaerobic Fermentation of Carbohydrates
- The Anaerobic Fermentation of Inulin-Type Fructans
The Digestive Functions: Inulin and Oligofructose ad Dietary Fiber
- Dietary Fiber: A Concept in Human Nutrition
- Inulin and Oligofructose as Dietary Fiber
Inulin and Oligofructose as Low Calorie Carbohydrates
- Methodologies to Assess the Energy Value of Inulin-Type Fructans
- Assessment of the Energy Value of Inulin and Oligofructose: Results and Discussion
- Inulin and Oligofructose as Low Calorie Carbohydrates: Conclusions
Inulin-Type Fructans and the Gastrointestinal Functions: Conclusions and Perspectives
Inulin-Type Fructans and the Modulation of the Intestinal Microflora: The Prebiotic Effects
- Prebiotics: Definition and Requirements for Scientific Substantiation
- Methodologies to Study the Composition of the Gut Microflora
- Inulin-Type Fructans Classify as Prebiotic: The Scientific Substantiation
- Inulin-Type Fructans as Prebiotics: Discussion & Perspectives
Inulin-Type Fructans and the Intestinal Absorption of Minerals
- The Physiology of Calcium
- The Physiology of Magnesium
- The Methodologies to Study Mineral Absorption and Bone Health
- Inulin-Type Fructans and the Gastrointestinal Absorption of Other Minerals
- Inulin-Type Fructans Mineral Absorption and Bone Health: Discussion, Perspectives and Conclusions
Inulin-Type Fructans and the Homeostasis of Lipids
- Biochemistry of Lipid Metabolism
- Inulin-Type Fructans and Lipid Homeostasis
- Inulin-Type Fructans and Lipid Homeostasis: Discussion, Conclusion and Perspectives
Inulin-Type Fructans and the Defense Functions of the Body
- The Defense Functions of the Body
- The Role of the Gastrointestinal System in Body's Defense
- Nutrition and the Gastrointestinal Defense Functions
- Inulin-Type Fructans and the Gastrointestinal Defense Functions
- Inulin-Type Fructans and the Systemic Defense Functions
- Inulin-Type Fructans and the Defense Functions: Overview, Discussion and Perspectives
Index
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