Chemistry Reference
In-Depth Information
scFOS
NutraFlora® (GTC Nutrition, www.nutraflora.com)
Actilight (Beghin Meiji and Syral, www.beghin-meiji.com)
Meioligo (Meiji Seika Kaisha Ltd., www.meiji.co.jp)
2.1.2 sources of scFos
Fructans serve storage and protective functions in many commonly consumed
plants. Thus, fructans are a typical part of the diet. Some food sources of fructans are
higher in scFOS, while others are richer in high-molecular-weight fructans, such as
inulin. scFOS is present in selected foods that include onion, artichoke, garlic, wheat,
and banana, and is typically present at low levels (Table 2.1). In contrast, some pre-
pared meals are particularly high in total fructan content. For example, a bowl of
French onion soup could contain 6 to 18 g of fructans (Van Loo et al., 1995).
Estimated daily intakes of fructans in the United States have been calculated
by applying analytical values for various foods to food consumption databases.
According to the three references below, mean total fructan intake likely ranges
between 1 to 5 g/day with scFOS intake < 1 g/day.
•
Van Loo et al. (1995) estimated that consumption of fructans ranged between 1 to
4 g/day, mostly coming from wheat (76 to 78 percent), onion (10 to 18 percent), and
banana (3 to 5 percent); 10 percent of the population was estimated to eat double
this amount, between 2 and 8 g/day.
Moshfegh et al. (1999) estimated the separate consumption of oligofructose and
•
inulin in the United States using the U.S. Department of Agriculture database,
1994-1996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals. Estimated mean
intakes were 2.5 g/day (range 1 to 4 g) for oligofructose and 2.6 g/day (range 1 to
4 g) for inulin. Thus, the combined total intake of fructans was estimated to be
similar to that of Van Loo et al. (1995), and approximately 50 percent of fructans
consumed would be DP < 10. Food sources contributing oligofructose were mostly
wheat (71 percent), onion (24 percent), banana (2 percent), and garlic (2 percent).
Table 2.1 Food sources of scFos
Fructan, g/100 g,
as is
Plant
scFos Content (DP ≤ 5)
onion
1-8, raw
dP 2-12 = 100%; most frequently
occurring dP is 5
Jerusalem artichoke
17-21, raw
dP <10 = 52%
garlic
16
dP <5 = 25%
Wheat
1-4
dP <5 = 50%
globe artichoke
2
dP <4 = 5%
banana
1
dP <5 = 100%
Source:
adapted from Van Loo et al., 1995.
