As part of a healthy lifestyle and diet, consumption of soluble fibres such as oats β-glucans or citrus pectins can play a role in reducing the risk of obesity-related metabolic diseases (attenuation of glycaemic response to meals, satiating effects, production of anti-inflammatory short chain fatty acids through colonic fermentation, etc.). Nevertheless, dietary fibers are often embedded in complex food matrices that limit their potential efficacy and their impact on sensory properties of food products is often not acceptable for consumers. Here, we’ll address some strategies to effectively enable preventive nutrition through the delivery of efficacious dietary fibers in palatable food products. Examples taken form the processing of oats and of orange fruits will be discussed, showing that contrary to widespread belief, processing of food ingredients can help maximize their health benefits and consumer acceptability. Nevertheless, these approaches raise new regulatory questions, so new analytical and regulatory challenges will also be discussed.

Impact of processing on physicochemical properties and nutritional function of dietary fibers: Balancing consumer taste and tangible health effects

251st National Meeting (2016)

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