Dietary fructans

• Published in: Annual review of nutrition Vol. 18; no. 1; pp. 117 - 143
• Main Authors: Roberfroid, M.B. (Universite Catholique de Louvain, Brussles, Belgium.), Delzenne, N.M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Palo Alto, CA Annual Reviews 01-01-1998; Annual Reviews, Inc
• Subjects: ALIMENTOS; Animals; APPAREIL DIGESTIF; Biological and medical sciences; CARBOHIDRATOS; CARBOHYDRATES; Cardiovascular diseases; CHEMICAL STRUCTURE; COMPOSICION APROXIMADA; COMPOSITION GLOBALE; CONTROL DE ENFERMEDADES; CONTROLE DE MALADIES; DIET; DIETA; Dietary Carbohydrates; Digestion; DIGESTIVE SYSTEM; Digestive System - metabolism; DIGESTIVE TRACT; DISEASE CONTROL; DISEASE PREVENTION; ESTRUCTURA QUIMICA; EXCRECION; EXCRETION; Feeding. Feeding behavior; FISIOLOGIA DE LA NUTRICION; Food; FOOD ANALYSIS; FOOD COMPOSITION; FOOD INDUSTRY; FOODS; Fructans - administration & dosage; Fructans - metabolism; FUNCTIONAL FOODS; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastrointestinal tract; GLUCIDE; HEALTH PROMOTION; HEALTH SERVICES; Humans; INDUSTRIA ALIMENTARIA; INDUSTRIE ALIMENTAIRE; INGREDIENT; INGREDIENTES; INGREDIENTS; INULIN; Inulin - administration & dosage; Inulin - metabolism; INULINA; INULINE; LIPID METABOLISM; LITERATURE REVIEWS; METABOLISM; METABOLISME; METABOLISME DE L'AZOTE; METABOLISME DES LIPIDES; METABOLISMO; METABOLISMO DE LIPIDOS; METABOLISMO DEL NITROGENO; NITROGEN METABOLISM; NUTRITION PHYSIOLOGY; Osteoporosis; PHYSIOLOGIE DE LA NUTRITION; POLISACARIDOS; POLYHOLOSIDE; POLYSACCHARIDES; Preventive Medicine; PRODUIT ALIMENTAIRE; PROXIMATE COMPOSITION; REGIME ALIMENTAIRE; RIESGO; RISK; RISK REDUCTION; RISQUE; SERVICE DE SANTE PUBLIQUE; SERVICIOS DE SALUD; SISTEMA DIGESTIVO; SOURCES; STRUCTURE CHIMIQUE; URAEMIA; UREA; UREE; UREMIA; UREMIE; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Nutrition; Disease; Digestive system; Polymer; Review; Biological activity; Fructose; Feeding; Prevention; Plant origin; Inulin; Carbohydrate; Digestibility
• ISSN: 0199-9885; 1545-4312
• DOI: 10.1146/annurev.nutr.18.1.117

Fructan is a general term used for any carbohydrate in which one or more fractosyl-fructose link constitutes the majority of osidic bonds. This review focuses on the fate of inulin-type fructans (namely native chicory inulin, oligofructose produced by the partial enzymatic hydrolysis of chicory inulin, and synthetic fructans produced by enzymatic synthesis from sucrose) in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as on their systemic physiological effects on mineral absorption, carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, hormone balance, and nitrogen homeostasis. The scientific evidence for the functional claims of inulin-type fructans is discussed, as well as their potential application in risk reduction of disease, namely constipation, infectious diarrhea, cancer, osteoporosis, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, obesity, and non-insulin dependent diabetes