Fructose polymers ranging from 2 to 60 units long make up the inulin family, which includes fructooligosaccharides, typically meas-uring 10 units or less, and short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS), at 2 to 4 units long. Found in many fruits and vegetables, inulin from chicory has become popular with food-product designers for its neutral taste, high solubility and low viscosity.
Another virtually invisible prebiotic fiber, soluble corn fiber, has physical characteristics similar to corn syrup, notes Michelle Schwenk, senior food scientist, Tate & Lyle, Decatur, IL. It offers prebiotic benefits in a highly soluble, clear, colorless and pH-stable powder or liquid. “Soluble corn fiber is also quite well tolerated, which gives it more flexibility in application and levels compared to other prebiotic fibers,” she says. “Soluble corn fiber is very cost-effective, further opening up the applications.”
Herb your enthusiasm
The ancient Greek pharmacopoeia listed peppermint and similar minty plants as digestion aids, relieving conditions such as indigestion, cramps, diarrhea, and symptoms associated with IBS and food poisoning. Research has also indicated peppermint oil’s effectiveness for relaxing GI smooth muscle and the lower esophageal sphincter. Peppermint is commonly used for flavoring products like tooth-pastes, mouthwashes and confections, as well as GI medications. Care should be taken when formulating for digestive functionality, as peppermint can be toxic at elevated levels.
Many traditional flavorings can be used to improve digestive health. A study published in the International Journal of Food Sciences and Nutrition (1996; 47(1):55-59) indicated: “Dietary curcumin, capsaicin, piperine and ginger prominently enhanced intestinal lipase activity, and also the disaccharidases sucrase and maltase. Dietary cumin, fenugreek, mustard and asafoetida brought about decreases in the levels of phosphatases and sucrase. The positive influences of a good number of spices on these terminal enzymes of digestive proc-ess could be an additional feature of spices that are generally well recognized to stimulate digestion.”
Some fruits can provide enzymes capable of improving digestive health. Central and South American cultures have long used pine-apple for improved digestion, a benefit of its constituent enzyme bromelain. Proteinases papain, caricain, chymopapain and glycine endopeptidase are found in papaya. Enzymes from both fruits are believed to be effective reducers of intestinal inflammation. Papaya proteinases have, however, been shown to be vulnerable to acid denaturation and subsequent proteolysis. Inclusion in food systems may, therefore, require protective technologies to ensure viability in the gut.
Aloe vera has, for generations, been a common healing agent for skin conditions. Modern studies suggest, however, that aloe vera gel may provide relief from inflammatory GI diseases such as ulcerative colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) and gastritis (inflammation of the mucosal lining of the stomach) by promoting the healing of gastric lesions and preventing damage from infectious pathogens, chemical irritants and GI reflux disease.
So, the next time you’re eating out at your favorite restaurant, take particular notice of the basket of mints by the register on the way out. What if those treats treated more than bad breath? “Soluble corn fiber can be used as an excipient, is directly compressible and can be mixed with a mint flavor and tableted,” says Schwenk, “to give about 1 gram of fiber in a 2-gram mint.”
Mmmmm, digestalicious!
R. J. Foster is a wordsmith with a B.S. in food science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and over 15 years of experience in the food industry. He can be reached through his website, wordsmithingbyfoster.com.