Bulking and Fat-Replacing Agents - Sweeteners: Nutritional Aspects, Applications, and Production Technology - page 395

Chapter 13
Bulking and Fat-replacing agents
Todor Vasiljevic and Theodoros Varzakas
CONteNtS
13.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................................... 395
13.2 Dietary Fibers ....................................................................................................................... 399
13.3 Resistant Starch .................................................................................................................... 401
13.4 Maltodextrins........................................................................................................................402
13.5 Polydextrose..........................................................................................................................404
13.6 Fructooligosaccharides .........................................................................................................407
13.7 Physiological Beneits of Polydextrose .................................................................................407
13.8 β-Glucan ...............................................................................................................................408
13.9 Inulin..................................................................................................................................... 411
References ...................................................................................................................................... 413
13.1 INtrODUCtION
Obesity-associated risk factors that contribute to the development of metabolic syndrome
continue to present a challenge not only for the medical community but also for the food industry.
The two dominant risk factors in this regard are central obesity and insulin resistance, which
contribute to cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. According to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), obesity is rapidly becoming the number one preventable cause of
death in the United States (Mokdad et al. 2004). The alarming rise in obesity began in the 1970s
and has been growing even more rapidly in recent years. In 2010, no state had a prevalence of
obesity less than 20%. Thirty-six states had a prevalence of 25% or more (CDC 2010). A number
of studies pointed to the increased consumption of calories from food as a primary cause (Wright
et al. 2004). Weight-loss strategies to reduce these comorbidities include behavior modiication
and physical activity, as well as various forms of energy restriction with respect to dietary fat
or carbohydrates. Therefore, low-calorie products are in demand and, consequently, so are the
ingredients that make the production of these products possible. The use of low-calorie sugar-free
products tripled in the inal two decades of the twentieth century (Nabors 2002). A recent survey
conducted by the Calorie Control Council (CCC, Atlanta, GA) found that 78% of adults reported
consuming low-fat, reduced-fat, or fat-free foods and beverages as a method of weight loss (CCC
2011).
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