Dairy products have always been associated with health. It is a segment that includes products such as drinking yoghurts & cultured liquid milk, spoonable yoghurt, cheese, flavored milk and desserts. Consumers increasingly see functional products as an essential part of a well-balanced, enjoyable diet. Dairy is one of the biggest segments for functional foods.

Inulin and oligofructose can be used for both nutritional and functional reasons. They provide soluble dietary fiber; moreover they are prebiotic and can be used as a texturizer and as a sugar and fat replacer. No fat or reduced fat has become the norm for spoonable yoghurt. Yoghurts and drinking yoghurts are a growing area for application and one in which prebiotics feature highly. Inulin and oligofructose are among the most widely proven prebiotic fibers available. In yoghurts with fruit the inulin and oligofructose are often added through the fruit preparation. Inulin improves the texture and mouthfeel of skimmed or low fat (drinking) yoghurts while contributing to satiety, digestive health and weight management.