Nondigestible polysaccharides (NDP) and nondigestible oligosaccharides (NDO) occur naturally in many foods. The physicochemical and biological properties of these compounds, as they relate to dietary fiber, are associated with physiological actions in the small and large intestine, having important implications in human health. These properties include water dispersibility and solubility, viscosity effects, bulk, absorption and fermentability, and binding of other compounds. These features may lead to various physiological actions such as reducing cholesterol and attenuating blood glucose, maintaining gastrointestinal health, and positively affecting calcium bioavailability and immune function. Moreover, based on their physiochemical properties, many of the new oligosaccharides can help improve the organoleptic properties and nutritional value of foods.
Keywords: dietary fiber; functional foods; gastrointestinal health; inulin; oligosaccharides.