The role of dietary fibre in companion animal nutrition

Abstract

The growing attention for healthy eating, intestinal health, combating major disorders such as obesity and diabetes and prevention of cardio-vascular diseases and cancer, has resulted in an increased output of R & D on dietary fibre and related carbohydrates. In recent years, hundreds of new products have been launched annually with claims regarding their fibre content. Existing and new fibres are also increasingly incorporated in products for specific target groups, such as babies, farm animals, pets and for clinical nutrition. New research tools and insights are enabling researchers to obtain a much better insight in the mechanisms of action of bio-active carbohydrates. These include new analytical methods, model systems to measure the impact of fibre on processes in the gastro-intestinal tract and the identification and measurement of new biomarkers, for example markers related to satiety. These insights and tools, will signific. Foreword; Contents; Chapter 1 Definitions, health claims and new challenges; Definition and analysis of dietary fibre in the context of food carbohydrates; Health claims, options for dietary fibre; Whole grain health claims in the United States, United Kingdom and Sweden; Dietary fibres -- New challenges for research; Chapter 2 Analytical tools, technological aspects and applications; Rapid bio-analytical methods -- New developments; Analytical characterization of carbohydrates: From polymer through oligomer to monomer. Advanced in vitro models of the gastro-intestinal tract -- Novel tools to study functionality of dietary fibresThe importance of food structure on the glycaemic responses of carbohydrate rich foods; Dietary fibres: their uses in dairy based applications; Importance of phytosterols, folates and other bioactive compounds in cereals; Chapter 3 Health benefits of dietary fibre; Dietary fibre intake, disease prevention, and health promotion: An overview with emphasis on evidence from epidemiology; Experimental studies of dietary fibre and colon cancer- an overview. Epidemiology of dietary fibre and colorectal cancerDietary fibre, lipid metabolism and cardiovascular disease; Intestinal flora and health; Chapter 4 Health benefits of specific types of dietary fibre; Cholesterol-lowering activity of insoluble fibre from carob; Effects of resistant maltodextrin on metabolism of glucose and lipids; Effect of extra-cellular polysaccharides on satiety; The effect of various inulins and Clostridium difficile on the metabolic activity and composition of the human colonic microbiota in vitro; The role of prebiotic fibres in the process of calcium absorption. Chapter 5 Health aspects for target groupsThe effect of inulin/fructo-oligosaccharide as a prebiotic ingredient in baby formulae; The role of fibre in clinical nutrition; The role of dietary fibre in companion animal nutrition; Xylo-oligosaccharides alter metabolism of gut microbes and blood xylose levels in chicks; Chapter 6 The dietary fibre 2003 conference: An overview; The dietary fibre 2003 conference: An overview; Index.