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Inulin in food products: prebiotic and functional ingredient

Silvia Marina González-Herrera (Division of Graduate Studies, Durango Institute of Technology, Durango, Mexico)
Raul Rodriguez Herrera (Department of Food Research, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Mexico)
Mercedes Guadalupe López (Department of Biotechnology and Biochemistry, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of IPN, Irapuato, Mexico)
Olga Miriam Rutiaga (Division of Graduate Studies, Durango Institute of Technology, Durango, Mexico)
Cristobal Noe Aguilar (Department of Food Research, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Mexico)
Juan Carlos Contreras Esquivel (Department of Food Research, Autonomous University of Coahuila, Saltillo, Mexico)
Luz Araceli Ochoa Martínez (Division of Graduate Studies, Durango Institute of Technology, Durango, Mexico)

British Food Journal

ISSN: 0007-070X

Article publication date: 5 January 2015

1415

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the variety of food in which it has been applied as a prebiotic and functional ingredient, the concentrations used there in, the tests that have been conducted on these fortified foods and briefly reviews the history and characteristics of inulin.

Design/methodology/approach

The review included articles from 1999-2013. The papers which reported inulin concentrations used, the purpose of the application and tests on final product, were mainly selected. Articles were collected in electronic databases such as Elsevier-Science Direct, Emerald, Springer Link, Wiley and Redalyc.

Findings

The interaction inulin-food with different food matrices is complex, and is not always technologically favorable for the product. Moreover, additional to evaluations of sensory, physicochemical and rheological characteristics, it is essential to carry out measurements in the food, of such characteristics as prebiotic content, and prebiotic activity in vivo and in vitro, and assess potential adverse reactions in order to define suitable doses of consumption.

Originality/value

The paper highlights the importance of conducting in vitro and in vivo testing of potential prebiotic inulin-supplemented food in order to define dose that benefit health and do not cause unacceptable gastrointestinal distress.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

The authors thank DGEST for the financial support of the project “DGEST-4554.12-P. SMGH thanks CONACYT-México for financial support during her PhD studies.

Citation

González-Herrera, S.M., Herrera, R.R., López, M.G., Rutiaga, O.M., Aguilar, C.N., Esquivel, J.C.C. and Martínez, L.A.O. (2015), "Inulin in food products: prebiotic and functional ingredient", British Food Journal, Vol. 117 No. 1, pp. 371-387. https://doi.org/10.1108/BFJ-09-2013-0238

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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