Network Health Dietitians July 08 Issue 36

cover story
this contrasted with the 45 percent or Roberfroid as a “non-digestible food tion and bone mineral density have
either did not think they were eating ingredient that beneﬁ cially affects been reported. Lastly, reducing the
enough, or did not care. While two the host by selectively stimulating risk of colorectal cancer is a more
thirds of the sample had tried and the growth and/or activity of one recent focus of prebiotic research,
liked some high ﬁ bre foods, only one or a limited number of bacteria in and outcomes of intervention studies
third were currently trying to increase the colon, and thus improves host in patients with increased risk of spo-
their intakes of ﬁ bre. The majority, 55 health”. The three boxes that need radic colorectal newplasia are being
percent, would not be willing to pay to be ticked to earn the prebiotic awaited with interest. No doubt,
more for foods with speciﬁ cally high descriptor are: being non-digestible further health effects of increasing in-
ﬁ bre contents, with only 4 percent and entering the colon intact, being takes of prebiotic food components
deﬁ nitely willing to put money on the fermentable by colonic bacteria, will be reported in future.
table for this nutritional feature. There and being able to stimulate meta- The commercial forms of prebiotic
was, confusingly, every shade of bolic activity of beneﬁ cial bacteria ingredients currently available are
opinion as to whether ﬁ bre fortiﬁ ca- (usually deﬁ ned as biﬁ dobacteria as inulin and oligofructose. There are
tion was most appropriate for foods and lactobacilli) selectively. various short-chain and long-chain
low in ﬁ bre or, in complete contrast, The health effects of prebiotics forms available, with different food
foods that were already naturally appear to be very diverse across technological applications, and
rich in ﬁ bre. A pragmatic 13 percent many body systems. The direct different activity proﬁ les in different
were happy with any food vehicle. topical effects on gut health are the sections of proximal or distal co-
For new-ﬁ bre marketeers, the one increased production of short chain lon, and further research is trying to
third of consumers looking to in- fatty acids, particularly butyric acid, deﬁ ne optimal mixtures of prebiotic
crease their ﬁ bre intakes is the good and with this changes to gut ﬂ ora ingredient forms. The supply of food
news; the bad news is the paltry one- and pH that support normal cell turn- ingredient prebiotics is dominated by
in-twenty who said they would be over and epithilia of colonic mucosal the Belgian company Beneo-Orafti
willing to pay more for this beneﬁ t. surfaces. There are many suggestions (owned by the Germany sugar com-
Another survey carried out with of beneﬁ ts speciﬁ cally relating to gut pany Suedzucker). Cosucra, Sensus
Leatherhead Food Research UK, health symptoms, such as irritable and Danisco are also major suppliers
also in May 2008, has probed Eu- bowel syndrome, ulcerative colitis in Europe. Danisco has just funded
rope-wide consumer interest in gut and Crohn’s disease, as well as resis- a ﬁ ve year academic post (at 1.3
health claims on foods. Of the 4,000 tance to diarrhoea. million Euros) to support research on
respondents, the Italians were most There may be beneﬁ ts to overall the beneﬁ ts of prebiotics on the gut
interested; the Dutch the least. immune function, particularly during system; the lucky academic based
Different preferences for the word- vulnerable periods of infancy and at the Technical University of Den-
ings describing prebiotic ingredient childhood, as well as improvements mark who is now ‘Professor of Fibre‘ is
effects were also observed: in the from autoimmune conditions. In Jorn Dalgaard Mikkelsen.
UK terms such as ‘friendly bacteria’ addition, metabolic beneﬁ ts being While the effects of prebiotics are
were most popular; in Germany the reported relate to improved blood well described in the scientiﬁ c litera-
more scientiﬁ c descriptions of types glucose and blood cholesterol ture, there is now an urgent need
of ﬁ bre were preferred. regulation, and possible effects on to draw strands between research
Prebiotics were ﬁ rst deﬁ ned only satiety and body weight regulation. studies to allow dietitians a ﬁ rm basis
a decade ago by Gibson and Positive effects on calcium absorp- for credible recommendations to the
Fibresure
or texture, you can even cook and bake with it, so it couldn’t
be easier to ﬁ t it in! Fibresure Powder can help everyone to
Powder
achieve the recommended guideline daily amount (GDA) of
ﬁ bre of 24g .Fibresure Powder is available in tubs or convenient
Fibresure Powder is a 100%
Stick-Packs for use on-the-go. Each serving (a heaped teaspoon
natural prebiotic ﬁ bre
or a single Stick-Pack) provides 5 grams of ﬁ bre, that’s over 20%
supplement , made purely
of the recommended guideline daily amount (GDA) of ﬁ bre.
from inulin which is derived
You can take up to three servings daily.
entirely from chicory root.
Fibresure Powder is available in the following variants:
As such, Fibresure delivers
beneﬁ ts you would expect
Fibresure Powder Tubs: 195 gram (33 servings) RRP: £7.99
from ﬁ bre, additionally, it is very versatile. Fibresure Powder
or 320 gram (56 servings) RRP: £11.99
dissolves quickly and completely in water and can be added to
Fibresure Powder Stick Packs: 15 count, RRP: £4.99 or 30
most food and non-carbonated drinks without altering the taste
count, RRP: £8.99
NHDmag.com July ‘08 - issue 36
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