Dietary fiber (DF) is a carbohydrate polymer which are neither digested nor absorbed in the small intestine. Fiber is found in varying quantities in all plant foods. DF can be classified into two groups on the basis of their sources: water-soluble and water insoluble fibers. Fibers have certain technical and nutritional functionality which correlated to texture of food and health of consumer respectively. Fiber improves the sensory characteristics, texture and shelf life of foods due to their water-binding capacity, gel-forming ability, fat mimetic, anti-sticking, anti-clumping, texturising and thickening effects. DF have been used to reduce the blood cholesterol, post prandial blood glucose, intestinal transits time and enhance the immune …show more content…
Dietary Fibre means carbohydrate polymers with a degree of polymerisation (DP) not lower than 3 which are not hydrolysed by the endogenous enzymes in the small intestine of humans (FSSA, 2010). It includes polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lignin and associated plant substances. Fibre is found in all plant foods including legumes, cereals, some fruits (particularly oranges and bananas, apples) and berries, certain vegetables (such as broccoli, carrots and root vegetables and onions), and seed husk and bran. The dietary fibers divided into two groups: water soluble and water insoluble fibers. Depending on the source, plants can contain both types of fibers in varying content. Fibers have different functionality in food and dairy products. They have nutritional functionality relating to health, as well as technical functionality relating to texture (Ramirez et al. 2010; Ajila and Prasada Rao, 2013). Dietary fibers due to their functional properties are extensively used in many branches of the food industry, including the meat products and bakery products (Hoogenkamp, 2007; Waszkowiak and Szymandera, 2008). Table 1 shows the sources of dietary …show more content…
Authorities generally recommend that about 30 grams of fibre be consumed daily (FSSA, 2010). World Health Organization has recommended that total fibre intake be 25 g/day (WHO/FAO, 2003).
Nutrition claim (FSSA,