Double-action fibre

CORN has always been known as a high source of dietary fibre which is derived from the consumption of pericarp. But understanding how the fibre works to promote gut health, and overall health for that matter, remains a subject of continuing research.

Speciality food ingredients company Tate & Lyle has been collaborating with scientific experts to advance the research on corn fibre, specifically Promitor Soluble Corn Fibre, and its relation to well-being. In one study commissioned by the company, researchers from Purdue University were able to arrive at three conclusions. One is that soluble corn fibre, also known as soluble gluco fibre in Europe, plays an important role in increasing calcium absorption, which can go up to 12%. This breakthrough is relevant as it is the first time soluble corn fibre is being associated with nutrient absorption. It also raises the value of the fibre, giving manufacturers a reason to enhance products with a food component that is lacking in a typical adult diet. More importantly, the fibre is now seen as valuable especially to adolescents who require calcium and whose fibre intake is said to be generally low.

Researchers also noted that corn fibre and polydextrose (a low-sugar bulking agent) does promote gut health. For a nutrient to be classified as fibre, they said, it must be able to demonstrate physiological effects such as bulking and fermentation. Both corn fibre and polydextrose were able to increase fermentation, a process which encourages the production of food for ‘good’ bacteria in the intestines. The study further mentions that soluble corn fibre is well-tolerated at and above the recommended daily intake levels, which could be anywhere between 19 and 38g/day. Beyond that amount, fibre intake may cause discomfort due to bloating, gas and cramps. However, this did not occur in the study of 20 healthy adults who were asked to consume soluble fibre in three doses: the RDA; a single dose of 40g; and a dose of 65g spread throughout the day. None of the amounts appeared to make a difference, according to research, further showing that the products were tolerable, at least in those amounts.

At the 14th International Symposium on Microbial Ecology (ISME14) held in Copenhagen in August 2012, one of the studies presented further explained the effects of soluble fibre in the gut environment – including the additional benefit of increasing calcium absorption.

“This study in adolescents shows an increase in specific beneficial bacteria – namely, bifidobacteria, parabacterioidetes and alistipes. Furthermore this is the first study to show that parabacterioidetes, and alistipes were significantly correlated with the observed increase in calcium absorption,” said Cindy H. Nakatsu, professor of agronomy at Purdue University, who directed the microbiota work on this camp calcium study led by Connie Weaver, Ph.D., a professor in nutrition also at Purdue. “This is important because these data begin to provide evidence for the mechanism by which soluble corn fibre helps increase the observed calcium absorption and, adolescents everywhere could benefit from more fibre and calcium in their diets.”

In this crossover study, 23 adolescents 12-15 years old were given controlled diets over two, three-week sessions separated by a one-week washout period. The diets were identical with the exception that the test diet included daily consumption of a product that had 12g of soluble corn fibre. Researchers found that consuming the test diet with soluble corn fibre helped increase several strains of beneficial bacteria in the gut. In addition, researchers found that consumption of the fibre changed the gut environment which appeared to have enabled greater calcium absorption.

“We still need more research to understand the interplay between diet and gut health, however, the observed increases in what we believe to be some of the most important beneficial bacterAir Jordan 1