Baking & Snack - September 2023 - 76

GUT HEALTH
while minimizing gastrointestinal distress.
Beneo's Orafti inulin and oligofructose are functional
fibers that support good digestive health, increase calcium
absorption and support a low-glycemic diet.
" Our functional fibers are proven prebiotics; in fact,
inulin and FOS are the only proven plant-based prebiotics, "
said Gitte Vaes, product manager functional fibers,
Beneo. " This means they are selectively fermented by the
good bacteria and thereby confer a health benefit. As we
often say to explain it to consumers, they're good food
for the good bacteria in your gut. "
Inulin, an oligosaccharide commercially derived
from chicory root but also present in other plants, is a
convenient and tasty way to deliver fiber to consumers,
she added.
" That's the main request from our customers, " Ms.
Vaes said. " Yes, they want more healthy products with a
better nutritional profile, but they don't want to have any
compromise on taste and texture, and that's something
we can bring with our chicory root fibers and also the
recently launched heart healthy beta-glucans. "
Chicory root fiber is a versatile ingredient, said Jamie
Matthews, head of customer technical support, North
Ingredients beneficial
to gut health can
be added to a wide
variety of baked
goods and snacks.
Manildra USA
gosaccharides), " she said. " Fiber functions as a prebiotic
that encourages the growth of good bacteria in the microbiome.
However, when adding these high-fiber ingredients,
it is important to consider consumer tolerance. "
Prebiotics, probiotics and postbiotics are all considto
gut health, and each brings differered
beneficial
ent types of benefits to the table. Prebiotics act as food
for probiotics.
" Prebiotics used include inulin, larch arabinogalactans
as well as oat bran and other grain fibers. Even psyllium
husks, which form the basis of Metamucil, can be
used, " Mr. Wright said. " Adding proteins and carbohydrates
from legumes, such as soybean, pea, lentil, chickpea
or fava bean, have been reported to exert beneficial
effects in gut health. "
Icon Foods, which specializes in natural sugar alternatives,
offers ingredients that allow bakers to not only
reduce sugar but also offers the benefits of prebiotics.
Thom King, CEO of Icon Foods, said that in many formulations
he's developing now, he stacks different fibers.
" We have soluble tapioca fiber, which is a digestive
resistant maltodextrin made from cassava, " he said. " I'll
stack that with a chicory root inulin, and I'll be able to
almost double the amount of fiber that I can put into a
baked good without triggering a GI response like gas.
The reason people get gas is because products are monoculturing.
They are feeding one particular bacteria. "
By pairing two different fibers that are metabolized
by different bacteria, a higher fiber level can be achieved
76 Baking & Snack September 2023 / www.bakingbusiness.com
America, Beneo.
" In sweeter baked goods, it's really effective for sugar
replacement and sugar reduction while still maintaining
some of the sugar-like characteristics, " he said.
Formulating with
an ingredient
like
inulin
in
bread can pose challenges but can be overcome, Mr.
Matthews said.
THE BENEFITS DERIVED
FROM A HEALTHY
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ARE MYRIAD, AND THE
NUMBER OF APPROACHES
TO BOLSTER IT ARE MANY.
" You can add other ingredients to adjust the formula, "
he explained. " Maybe it's water content to bring back
that same level of yield or volume development. But in
terms of flavor, there's almost no challenges. Whether
you're going for a sugar-like sweetness or if you're going
more long-chain, really more neutral in taste, there are
no off-notes. It's super clean. "
ADM/Matsutani's Fibersol is a prebiotic fiber that aids
digestion and satiety and is classified as a low-FODMAP
ingredient, said Vaughn DuBow, global director of marketing,
microbiome solutions, ADM.
http://www.bakingbusiness.com
Baking & Snack - September 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Baking & Snack - September 2023
