Abstract
A comprehensive dietary fiber (DF) definition was adopted by the CODEX Alimentarius Commission (CAC) (1) to reflect the current state of knowledge about DF, (2) to recognize that all substances that behave like fiber regardless of how they are produced can be named as DF if they show physiological benefits, and (3) to promote international harmonization for food labeling and food composition tables. This review gives the history and evolution of the state of DF knowledge as looked at by refinements in DF methods and definitions subsequent to the launch of the DF hypothesis. The refinements parallel both interventional and epidemiological research leading to better understanding of the role of DF in contributing to the numerous physiological benefits imparted by all the various digestion resistant carbohydrates. A comparison of the CODEX definition (including its footnote that authorizes the inclusion of polymers with DP 3–9) and approved CODEX Type 1 methods with other existing definitions and methods will point out differences and emphasize the importance of adoption of CODEX-aligned definitions by all jurisdictions. Such harmonization enables comparison of nutrition research, recommendations, food composition tables and nutrition labels the world over. A case will be made that fibers are analogous to vitamins, in that they vary in structure, function and amount needed, but each when present in the right amount contributes to optimal health. Since the intake of DF is significantly below recommended levels throughout the world, the recognition that ‘all fibers fit’ is an important strategy in bridging the ‘fiber gap’ by enfranchising and encouraging greater intake of foods with inherent and added DF. Fortifying foods with added DF makes it easier to increase intakes while maintaining calories at recommended levels.
Highlights
Dietary fiber’s (DF) introduction as a concept in the latter half of the last century sparked the need to define DF and to develop a method that emulates the fate of these digestion-resistant materials and that characterizes its health-promoting roles
Resistant short-chain oligomers (DP 3–9) should be DF because they fit the definition in the following ways: 1) they are neither digested nor absorbed by the enzymes in the small intestine, 2) they are fermentable in the large intestine, 3) they aid laxation in the large bowel, and 4) they may increase mineral absorption [30,31,32]
Data from intervention studies clearly show that increases in total DF intake through fibers added to a baseline of diet rich in whole grains, fruits and vegetables, legumes and other fiber-rich foods synergistically improves health outcomes over those observed with lower fiber intakes [87,88,89]
Summary
Dietary fiber’s (DF) introduction as a concept in the latter half of the last century sparked the need to define DF and to develop a method that emulates the fate of these digestion-resistant materials and that characterizes its health-promoting roles. The CODEX definition and footnote 2 Footnote 2 allows national authorities the option of including digestion-resistant oligomers with DP 3–9, enabling different operative definitions of DF This is counter to CODEX’s mission, which is to facilitate international harmonization for food labeling, food composition tables, and interpretation of research. Resistant short-chain oligomers (DP 3–9) should be DF because they fit the definition in the following ways: 1) they are neither digested nor absorbed by the enzymes in the small intestine, 2) they are fermentable in the large intestine, 3) they aid laxation in the large bowel, and 4) they may increase mineral absorption [30,31,32] If these materials are not included as DF, they would be cast into a ‘no-man’s land’ of being neither a digestible CHO nor DF [33]. The NSP definition only recognizes plant cell wall fibers, and does not include synthetic, resistant CHO polymers or polymers extracted from raw food material by physical, enzymatic or chemical means.
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