Inulin-type fructans

The idea that inulin-type fructans are fermented by bacteria colonising the large bowel is supported by many in vitro (both analytic and microbiological) and in vivo studies, which, in addition, confirm the production of lactic and short-chain carboxylic acids as end products of the fermentation (Tanner, 2005). Furthermore, it was shown inhuman in vivo studies that this fermentation leads to the selective stimulation of growth of the bifidobacteria population, making inulin-type fructans the prototypes of prebiotics (Roberfroid, 1997 Roberfroid, 2001). 

The presence or absence of enhancing and/or interfering substances (e.g., inulin-type fructans, fructooligosaccharides, phytates, excipients, medications)... 

Beylot, M. 2005. Effects of inulin-type fructans on lipid metabolism in man and in animal models. Br. J. Nutr. 93(Suppl. 1), S163-S168. 

In addition to its limited role as a storage form of carbon, inulin is thought to be more widely involved in membrane protection during dehydration of many species (Vereyken et al 2003). The interaction of inulin with membrane lipids in a model system was found to be chain length dependent. Inulin-type fructans had a more pronounced interaction with the membrane lipids than... 

Roberfroid, M., Inulin-Type Fructans Functional Food Ingredients, CRC Series in Modem Nutrition, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2005. 

Abrams, A.S., Griffin, I.J., Hawthorne, K.M., Liang, L., Gunn, S.K., Darlington, G., and Ellis, K.J., A combination of prebiotic short- and long-chain inulin-type fructans enhances calcium absorption and bone mineralization in young adolescents, Am. J. Clin. Nutr., 82, 471 —476, 2005. 

Coudray, C., Tressol, J.C., Gueux, E., and Rayssinguier, Y., Effects of inulin-type fructans of different chain length and type of branching on intestinal absorption of calcium and magnesium in rats, Eur. J. Nutr., 42, 91-98, 2003. 

Coxam, V., Inulin-type fructans and bone health state of the art and perspectives in the management of osteoporosis, Br. J. Nutr., 93, S111—S123, 2005. 

Abrams SA, Hawthorne KM, Aliu O, Hicks PD, Chen Z, Griffin IJ. An inulin-type fructan enhances calcium absorption primarily via an effect on colonic absorption in humans. J Nutr. 2007 137 2208-2212. 

Falony G, Calmeyn T, Leroy F, De Vuyst L. Coculture fermentations of Bifidobacterium species and Bacteroides thetaiotaomicron reveal a mechanistic insight into the prebiotic effect of inulin-type fructans. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2009 75 2312-2319. 

Cani PD, Delzenne NM. The role of the gut microbiota in energy metabolism and metabolic disease. Curr Pharm Des. 2009 15 1546-1558. Pool-Zobel BL. Inulin-type fructans and reduction in colon cancer risk review of experimental and human data. Br J Nutr. 2005 93 (suppl.l) S73-S90. 

Dewulf EM, Cani PD, Claus SP, et al. Insight into the prebiotic concept lessons from an exploratory, double blind intervention study with inulin-type fructans in obese women. Gut. 2013 62(8) 1112—1121. 

The addition of prebiotics in food may offer other benefits by improving host absorption of minerals (like calcium or magnesium). Recent advances in this field show that inulin-type fructans enhanced calcium absorption primarily via the colonic mucosa in humans (Abrams et al. 2007). This effect may be partially due to the interaction of inulin type fmctans with the Fok 1 gene, a genetic modifier of calcium absorption, as well as due to the acidic environment caused by the production of SCFA, which may increase the solubility of minerals and thus enhance their absorption (Abrams etal. 2005). Crude fractions of chicory (a source of inulin) have shown improved bone parameters relative to native or reformulated inulin in rats, suggesting possible synergies between inulin-t5 e fructans and other nutrients (Demigne et al. 2008). 

Falony, G., Lazidou, K., Verschaeren, A., Weckx, S., Maes, D., and De Vuyst, L. 2009b. In vitro kinetic analysis of fermentation of prebiotic inulin-type fructans by Bifidobacterium species reveals four different phenotypes., 4pp v/ro A//cro6/o/ 75(2), 454-61. 

Pool-Zobel, B.L., and Sauer, J. 2007a. Overview ofExpeiimental Data on Reduction of Colorectal Cancer Risk by Inulin-Type Fructans. J. Nutr. 727(11), 2580S-2584. 

Roberfroid MB. Inulin-type fructans functional food ingredients.J NHfr2007 137(ll) 2493S—502S. 

Guamer F. Studies with inulin-type fructans on intestinal infections, permeabibty, and inflammation. J Nutr 2007 137(11) 2568S-71S. 

Another class of functional foods is prebiotics and probiotics. A prebiotic is defined as a nondigestible food ingredient that beneficially affects the host by selectively stimulating the growth or activity of one or a limited number of bacteria in the colon. An example of a prebiotic is the inulin-type fructans. Despite the limited work done with prebiotics, studies with these inulin-type fructans have generated... 

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