The nutritional significance of dietary fiber and its healthful properties are well known.

Fiber is known to help in weight control, blood sugar management and offer protection against certain types of colon cancers. However, fiber ingestion is also known to be associated with bloating and gastrointestinal discomfort. The extent of discomfort produced has been observed to depend upon the type of fiber, suggesting the need to strike a balance between digestibility and fiber functionality.

Scientists at the Richard B. Russell Agricultural Research Center in Athens, Georgia found that the extent of bacterial fermentation by a normal inhabitant of the human gut, Bacteroides ovatus V975, could provide an idea about the quality of a fiber. In a published study¹, they reported that 75% of an oat bran sample was digested by the microorganism in 72 hours while corn bran was the slowest to break down, with 42% digestion in the same time period. Wheat bran was 49% digested in the same time period.

A similar Sabinsa-sponsored study with FenufibersÔ , performed at the University of Georgia, revealed that this fiber is of good quality, with minimal digestion. FenufibersÔ was only 39% digested in 48 hours, with little change thereafter. Comparative tests run with Wheat Chex and Metamucil, revealed that FenufibersÔ is similar to these products in digestibility. The lower the digestibility of a fiber, the better its functionality. Bulk is linked with functionality and a broken down fiber supplement is therefore not functional. When fiber breaks down, sugars are produced which are then fermented by intestinal flora to produce acid, gas and bloating.

In digestibility tests, fiber break down by Bacteroides ovatus V975 is assessed in vitro and readings taken at 0 hours, 24 hours and 48 hours are noted. This time frame is selected based on the fact that digesta passage through the human colon takes less than 72 hours. Little change in various measured parameters is observed after 48 hours, for most fibers. Acetate and succinate levels and the in vitro dry matter disappearance (IVDMD %) are measured at each point. Low acetate and succinate levels observed at various intervals for FenufibersÔ indicate that soluble sugars from the fiber are unavailable to support fermentation. This implies less likelihood of bloating and gas from this fiber. The comparative properties of various fiber supplements are indicated in Figures 1, 2, 3. The data for FenufibersÔ , Wheat Chex and Metamucil presented, were obtained in the Sabinsa sponsored study while the comparative data for wheat bran and oat bran were obtained from the earlier study¹.

1. S.A. Martin, W.H. Morrison III, and D.E. Akin. 1998. Current Microbiology 36:90-95

Figure 1: Acetate production

Figure 2: Succinate production

Figure 3: In vitro dry matter disappearance (digestibility)