Chapter 2 - Classification, Technological Properties, and Sustainable Sources

Abstract

Dietary fiber is an interesting field for food scientists, nutritionists, and food manufacturers because of its significant role in health improvement via disease prevention and control. Dietary fibers are reported to have several significant physiological health benefits, such as reduced risk of colonic cancer, bowel disorders, type-II diabetes, coronary heart disease, etc. Due to these health benefits, dietary fibers are a major segment of the functional foods market. Dietary fibers are generally classified into two major classes on the basis of their solubility in water that is, soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fiber. Major examples of soluble dietary fiber are β-glucan, pectin, gums, and inulin. Insoluble dietary fibers include cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin, cutin, suberin, chitin, chitosan, and resistant starches. Generally, the sources of dietary fiber contain both types of dietary fiber but in different proportions. Major sustainable sources of dietary fiber are cereals, legumes, fruits, and vegetables. Physicochemical properties of dietary fibers play a significant role in their functionality and are associated with the physiological functions in human metabolism. Significant properties of dietary fibers are their solubility, viscosity, water-holding and binding capacity, fermentability, minerals and bile acid-binding ability, oil-binding ability, particle size, and porosity. In this chapter, classification, technological properties and sustainable sources of soluble dietary fiber and insoluble dietary fibers are discussed.