Prebiotic effectiveness of fructans of different degrees of polymerization

The consensus of scientists in the European Project ENDO (DGXII AIRII-CT94-1095) was to recognize the uniquely well documented prebiotic activity of beta(2-1)fructans (fructooligosaccharides and inulin). However, the majority of studies to date on the ability of bifidobacteria to utilize fructans related to short-chain fructooligosaccharides. Therefore, the homogeneity of fructooligosaccharides and inulins with different degrees of polymerization (DP) is of considerable interest, especially with regard to bifidobacteria, their metabolism and the selective stimulation of colonic bifidobacteria which are consistent with the definition of prebiotics. The problem is discussed on the basis of the results of the subsequent own experiments in vitro, and in vivo on Wistar rats. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.