17 - Inulin in bread and other cereal-based products

Abstract

Publisher Summary Inulin is a mixture of linear chains of fructose units mostly containing one terminal glucose unit, and characterized by β-(2-1) bonds between the fructose units. The term “inulin” covers all β-(2-1)-linked linear fructans, with variable Degrees of Polymerisation (DP). Inulin is present as a reserve carbohydrate in many plants and vegetables. It occurs, for instance, in wheat, onions, garlic and chicory. The chapter presents that polyols and fibers are often used in non-digestible carbohydrates products to reduce the content of digestible carbohydrates: sugars and starch. These low-carb or low Glycaemic Index (GI) products offer excellent opportunities for the application of inulin and Fructo-Oligosaccharides (FOS) as sugar replacers or as a part of a starch replacement system. Non-digestible carbohydrates are a part of the Dietary Fiber (DF) complex and, according to all general dietary guidelines and recommendations, adequate fiber consumption is an indispensable part of a healthy diet. General food surveys show that the recommendations for fiber consumption are rarely met. This gap between the recommended and actual daily fiber intake can be narrowed by the consumption of fiber-enriched food products. It is of crucial importance that high-fiber foods have at least similar organoleptic features to standard foods. The chapter shows how inulin and FOS can be used successfully for the development of bread and other cereal-based products to lower the glycaemic response and how these carbohydrates can be successfully incorporated in food products to increase their fiber content.