Research conducted by FrieslandCampina with financial support from Sensus has shown - for the first time - that a daily dose of 5 grams of native inulin has a prebiotic effect on children aged 7-8 years. Previous research had already demonstrated this effect in infants of about 12 weeks old. This recent study shows that native inulin can be used as a prebiotic ingredient in infant foods and also in foods for older children to increase their daily fiber intake.

The new study, published in the Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, was conducted with Vietnamese children aged 7-8 years. It showed conclusively that a daily dosage of 5 grams of native inulin had a bifidogenic effect on fecal microbiota.

Research undertaken in Korea, had previously shown a prebiotic effect in 12-week-old infants brought about by native inulin with an average chain length of about 9 fructose units. An intake of 1.5 grams per day led to a bifidogenic effect, while the fecal content of lactobacilli and fecal wet weight also increased.

A further study carried out in Malaysia in 2008 found a bifidogenic effect in infants aged about 8 months after weaning. Following a slightly lower dosage of 1.25 grams per day, the fecal content of Bifidobacterium spp. increased while the level of clostridia decreased. This decrease was also found at lower dosages of 0.75 and 1.0 grams per day.

The studies show conclusively that native inulin produces prebiotic effects in children aged 12 weeks to 7-8 years, suggesting that this type of inulin can be used as a prebiotic ingredient in infant foods as an alternative to prebiotics such as mixtures of galacto-oligosaccharides with different types of inulin or inulin mixtures.

Since many studies have also shown its bifidogenic effect in adults up to the age of 90, it now seems clear that native inulin is prebiotic in people of all ages.

For more information feel free to contact Diederick Meyer, Manager Scientific and Regularity Affairs, +31 165 582 552 or mail diederick.meyer@sensus.nl.