Benefits Of Dietary Fibre

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APPLICATION OF DIETARY FIBERS AS VALUE ADDITION IN DAIRY AND FOOD INDUSTRY

INTRODUCTION
The term dietary fiber was first used by an Australian scientist, Eben Hipsley, in 1951 to describe lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses in food (Hipsley, 1953). Dietary Fibre means carbohydrate polymers with a degree of polymerisation (DP) not lower than 3 which are not hydrolysed by the endogenous enzymes in the small intestine of humans (FSSA, 2010). It includes polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lignin and associated plant substances. Fiber is found in in all plant foods including legumes, cereals, some fruits (particularly oranges and bananas, apples) and berries, certain vegetables (such as broccoli, carrots and root vegetables and onions), and seed …show more content…

Dietary fibre is composed of modified or synthetic non-digestible carbohydrate polymers, non-digestible carbohydrate and lignin and other substances of plant origin (Elleuch et al., 2011). Cereals are the principal source of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. whereas vegetables and fruits are the primary sources of gums, mucilage and pectin (Elleuch et al., 2011).
Mechanisms of Dietary Fiber
Dietary fibers having three main primary mechanisms: fermentation, bulking and viscosity. The main action of dietary fiber is to change the nature of the contents of the alimentary tract, and to change how chemicals and other nutrients are assimilated. After soluble fiber ingested it absorb water and turns in to gel like structure which entrapes foods, sugar, cholesterol and fats in the stomach and carries them through digestive tract. Insoluble fiber moves through the large intestine and promote regularity (FSSA,2010; …show more content…

Insoluble dietary fibers absorb water in the human digestive system, resulting softening stool, shortening of transit time in and increased bulk, diminish the activity of potentially harmful bacteria. Because of the low caloric value of the fibers, it influence on satiety, soluble and insoluble fibers both are also important for weight management (Bourquin et al., 1996: Elleuch et al., 2011). Prebiotics like polydextrose, FOS (fructooligosaccharides) and inulin, which are fermented in the colon and stimulate the activity of beneficial micro flora, such as Lactobacillus and Bifidobacteria. During fermentation process it produces short chain fatty acids can lower the pH in the colon which may improve absorption of minerals.
BENEFICIAL PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF DIETARY FIBER
Beneficial Physiological Effect Authority
Influence of immune function, fermentability and production of SCFAS (short chain fatty acids), attenuation of post prandial blood glucose, improved laxation, attenuation of blood cholesterol IOM (2001)*
Improved laxation, attenuation of blood cholesterol and attenuation of blood glucose AACC (2007)* fermentability by colonic microflora, attenuation of post prandial blood glucose, Attenuation of blood cholesterol, increasing of stool bulk, decreasing of intestinal transist time, EU

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