The growing attention for healthy eating, intestinal health, combating major disorders such as obesity and diabetes and prevention of cardio-vascular diseases and cancer, has resulted in an increased output of R&D on dietary fibre and related carbohydrates. In recent years, hundreds of new products have been launched annually with claims regarding their fibre content. Existing and new fibres are also increasingly incorporated in products for specific target groups, such as babies, farm animals, pets and for clinical nutrition.
New research tools and insights are enabling researchers to obtain a much better insight in the mechanisms of action of bio-active carbohydrates. These include new analytical methods, model systems to measure the impact of fibre on processes in the gastro-intestinal tract and the identification and measurement of new biomarkers, for example markers related to satiety. These insights and tools, will significantly contribute to R&D on ingredients and products aiming at imparting significant health benefits.
In this book invited expert scientists of leading research groups all over the world will address the following issues:
Definitions, health claims and new challenges,
Analytical tools, technological aspects and applications,
Health Benefits of dietary fibre, including both authoritative generic reviews and papers describing the impact on health of specific types of fibre and
Health aspects for target groups, with broad overviews on issues related to dietary fibre in clinical nutrition and in food for pets.
Dietary fibre: bio-active carbohydrates for food and feed will therefore cover the most up-to-date research available on dietary fibre and will be an indispensable tool for all scientists involved in research and development in this field.