What are dietary fibres?

Dietary fibres are of plant origin and are extracted from the cellulosic material which forms its structure.
Dietary fibres, under normal circumstances, are not directly digested by the human body.
They provide "bulk" to the diet which improves the function of the digestive system and helps protect against intestinal disorders.
There are two types of dietary fibre insoluble and soluble.

What are the properties of dietary fibres?

Insoluble dietary fibres are relatively coarse in nature and pass straight through the body, undigested. They help to regulate food absorption and assist in stool formation.

Soluble dietary fibres are finer in nature and shorter in chain length. Whilst not directly absorbed by the body, they are pre-biotic Bifidus promoters. The "friendly", pro-biotic, bacteria breaks down soluble dietary fibre thus giving a slow carbohydrate release through the colon. They are low glycaemic and therefore ideal for diabetics. It has also been demonstrated that the consumption of soluble fibres improves the rate of bodily calcium absorption through lowering the pH of the colon.

Do Dietary Fibres have functional properties?

Dietary fibres do have functional properties which may be used by food manufacturers.
Insoluble dietary fibres may be used to provide, texture, stability and structure in food systems.
Soluble dietary fibres may be used to improve texture and mouth-feel, particularly in low-fat or vegetarian systems.

Why should I use dietary fibres?

In addition to their health benefits, dietary fibres, from non-allergenic and non-GMO origins, can offer alternative options to traditional ingredients and provide new processing possibilities for today's competitive food industry.
Fibrisol offers both insoluble and soluble fibres plus a range of speciality ingredients for the food industry.