14 Inulin

1 , , Aandorenstraat 1, 3300 Tienen, Belgium; Tel.: 32-16-801-218;Fa x: 32-16-801-359; E-mail: Aandorenstraat 1, 3300 Tienen, Belgium; Tel.: -32-16-801-351;Fa x: 32-16-801-496; E-mail: 4412 Historical 4413 Chemical 4424 Natural 4445 Physiological 4466 Chemical Analysis and Liquid Chromatography (HPLC).. Analysis (Dionex).. Determination of Inulin and Oligofructose in Determination of Inulin in Food .. 4497 of Microbial vitroSynthesis of of Inulin from Plant Origin (Asteraceae).

2 Molecular 4528 Endogenous Molecular vitroHydrolysis by Yeast and Mold Enzymes .. 4549 Production Starting from Inulin of Plant Agricultural Production of Inulin and of 45810 Physical and Chemical Material Biological Caloric Improvement of Lipid Effects on Gut Modulation of Gut Suitability for Reduction of Cancer Increase in Mineral Intestinal 46511 Food 46512 Non-food Developments and 46713 Outlook and 46814 46915 473 DFAIdi-D-fructofuranose 2',1.

3 2,1'-dianhydrideDFAIIdi-D-fructofuranose 2',1; 2,3'-dianhydrideDPdegree of polymerizationDP5 or DP 5fructan molecules with a DP of 5 or moreDPna fructan with a degree of polymerization of nEFAE uropean Fructan AssociationFfructose (only in reactions)F2 to F9fructan molecule consisting of only fructofuranosyl units (2 to 9indicates the number of units present)14 Inulin440 FEHfructan exohydrolaseFFTfructan:fructan fructosyltransferaseFmfructofuranosyl-on ly fructan molecule with a DP of mF-G-Fneo-kestose (only in reactions)FOSfructo-oligosaccharideFrufr uctoseGglucose (only in reactions)GFsucroseGF2,GF8 GFnfructan molecule consisting of 2, 8 n fructofuranosyl units andcontaining one terminal glucoseG-Fsucrose (only in reactions)G-F-(F)nfructan molecule with a DP of n 2 and containing one terminalglucoseG-F-F1-kestose (only in reactions)Glcglucose6G-FFTfructan.

4 Fructan 6G-fructosyltransferasePADpulsed amperometric detectorPEDpulsed electrochemical detectorRIrefractive indexSSTsucrose:sucrose fructosyltransferase1 IntroductionInulin, a nondigestible carbohydrate, is afructan that is not only found in many plantsas a storage carbohydrate, but has also beenpart of man's daily diet for several is present in many regularly consumedvegetables, fruits and cereals, including leek,onion, garlic, wheat, chicory, artichoke, andbanana. Industrially, Inulin is obtained fromchicory roots, and is used as a functionalfood ingredient that offers a unique combi-nation of interesting nutritional propertiesand important technological benefits.

5 Infood formulations, Inulin significantly im-proves the organoleptic characteristics, al-lowing an upgrading of both taste andmouthfeel in a wide range of particular, this taste-free fructan increasesthe stability of foams and emulsions, as wellas showing an exceptional fat-like behaviorwhen used in the form of a gel in water. Bycontrast, as an ever-increasing amount ofinformation becomes available on Inulin , itsnutritional attributes continue to amazeboth researchers and nutritionists , fat and carbohydrate replace-ment with Inulin offers the advantage of nothaving to compromise on taste and texture,while delivering further nutritional , Inulin represents a key ingredientthat offers new opportunities to a foodindustry which is constantly seeking well-balanced, yet better tasting, products of OutlineRose.

6 A German scientist, first isolated a peculiar substance of plant origin from aboiling water extract ofInula heleniumin1804, and the substance was later calledinulin by Thomson (1818). The German2 HistoricalOutline441plant physiologist Julius Sachs (1864) was apioneer in fructan research and, by usingonly a microscope, was able to detect thespherocrystals of Inulin in the tubers ofDahlia,Helianthus tuberosusandInula hele-niumafter ethanol today, chicory is the major cropused for the industrial production of Inulin ,the first reference to chicory being con-sumed by humans was made during the firstcentury by Pedanios Dioscoride (Leroux,1996)

7 Who, as a physician in the Romanarmy, praised the plant for its beneficialeffects on the stomach, liver, and later, Baillarg (1942) stated that inabout 1850, Jerusalem artichoke (Helianthustuberosus) pulp, when prepared by cookingand drying the tubers, was added in a 50:50ratio to flour when baking bread to providecheap food for a more physiological basis, K lzreported in 1874 that no sugar appeared inthe urine of diabetics who ate 50 120 g ofinulin per day, and by the end of thenineteenth century the feeding of diabeticpatients with pure Inulin in doses of 40 100 g daily was reported to be with muchbenefit (Von Mehring, 1876).

8 The firststudies on the effects of Inulin in healthyhumans appeared during the early twentiethcentury (Lewis, 1912), whilst the nontoxicityof Inulin was demonstrated dramaticallysome years later (Shannon and Smith,1935) when one of the authors injectedhimself intravenously with 160 g Inulin . Inparticular, during the past 10 years there hasbeen a spectacular increase in the number ofpublications relating to the functional andnutritional benefits of , as Inulin changed from asubject of mere scientific interest into anindustrial product with many applications,there was a major stimulation of researchrelated to its production and StructureInulin has been defined as a polydispersecarbohydrate material consisting mainly, ifnot exclusively, ofb(2!)

9 1) fructosyl-fructoselinks (Waterhouse and Chatterton, 1993). Astarting glucose moiety can be present, but isnot necessary. In contrast, levan which isformed by certain bacteria consists mainlyor exclusively ofb(2!6) fructosyl-fructoselinks. As is the case for Inulin , glucose can bepresent, but again it is not necessary. Fructanis a more general name which is used for anycompound in which one or more fructosyl-fructose links constitute the majority. Theterm fructan therefore covers both inulinand referring to the definition of Inulin ,both GFnand Fmcompounds are consideredto be included under this same nomencla-ture.

10 In chicory Inulin , n (the number offructose units linked to a terminal glucose)can vary from two to 70 (De Leenheer andHoebregs, 1994). This also means that inulinis a mixture of oligomers and polymers. Themolecular structure of Inulin compounds isshown in Figure degree of polymerization (DP) ofinulin, as well as the presence of branches,are important properties since they influ-ence the functionality of most Inulin to astriking extent. Thus, a strict distinctionmust be made between Inulin of plant originand that of bacterial origin.