title: Prebiotics, Fermentable Dietary Fiber, and Health Claims.
abstract: Since the 1970s, the positive effects of dietary fiber on health have increasingly been recognized. The collective term "dietary fiber" groups structures that have different physiologic effects. Since 1995, some dietary fibers have been denoted as prebiotics, implying a beneficial physiologic effect related to increasing numbers or activity of the gastrointestinal microbiota. Given the complex composition of the microbiota, the demonstration of such beneficial effects is difficult. In contrast, an exploration of the metabolites of dietary fiber formed as a result of its fermentation in the colon offers better perspectives for providing mechanistic links between fiber intake and health benefits. Positive outcomes of such studies hold the promise that claims describing specific health benefits can be granted. This would help bridge the "fiber gap"-that is, the considerable difference between recommended and actual fiber intakes by the average consumer.
authors.affiliation: Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium; jan.delcour@kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: Jan A
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2954-1022
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Delcour
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden; and.
authors.forename: Per
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aman
authors.affiliation: Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium;
authors.forename: Christophe M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Courtin
authors.affiliation: Whistler Center for Carbohydrate Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN.
authors.forename: Bruce R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Hamaker
authors.affiliation: Leuven Food Science and Nutrition Research Center (LFoRCe), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium;
authors.forename: Kristin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Verbeke
mesh_terms: D003106:Colon / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D005285:Fermentation; D000069196:Gastrointestinal Microbiome; D006262:Health; D006801:Humans; D056692:Prebiotics
chemical_list: D004043:Dietary Fiber; D056692:Prebiotics
keywords: colon; fiber; health claims; microbiome; prebiotics; short chain fatty acids