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Research into the analysis, physical properties and health effects of dietary fibre has continued steadily over the last 40-50 years. From the knowledge gained, countries have developed guidelines for their populations on the optimal amount of fibre to be consumed each day. Food composition tables from many countries now contain values for the dietary fibre content of foods and from these, combined with dietary surveys, population intakes have been determined. The present review assessed the uniformity of the analytical methods used, health claims permitted, recommendations and intakes, particularly from national surveys across Europe and around the world. It also assessed current knowledge on health effects of dietary fibre and related the impact of different fibre types on health. The overall intent was to be able to provide more detailed guidance on the types of fibre which should be consumed for good health, rather than simply a total intake figure, the current situation. Analysis of data indicated a fair degree of uniformity in the definition of dietary fibre, the method used for analysis, the recommended amount to be consumed and a growing literature on effects on digestive health and disease risk. However, national dietary survey data showed that intakes do not reach recommendations and very few countries provide guidance on the types of fibre that are preferable to achieve recommended intakes. Research gaps were identified and ideas suggested to provide information for more detailed advice to the public about specific food sources that should be consumed to achieve health benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incidence of childhood obesity is rising dramatically throughout industrialised countries. To evaluate and study the impact of childhood obesity on lipoprotein metabolism, we developed a new animal model of premature obesity. Yucatan mini-pigs aged 4 months were studied over a 12-month period from childhood to adulthood. Animals were divided into two groups: the first group were overfed a Western misbalanced diet; the second group were normally fed a recommended human-type diet. Cholesterol and triacylglycerol concentrations in VLDL-, LDL- and HDL-lipoproteins were followed from baseline to adulthood by fast protein liquid chromatography. At 10 (the end of sexual maturation) and 16 months old (adulthood), liver, visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues were sampled. Real-time RT-PCR was performed in order to compare apo AI, apo B, apo C-III, PPAR-??, insulin receptor and lipoprotein lipase gene expression between groups and ages. Differences between groups were observed only after sexual maturity. Adult overfed mini-pigs had a higher LDL-cholesterol:HDL-cholesterol ratio (P<0??05; 0??55 (SE 0??06) for overfed v. 0??42 (SE 0??04) for normally fed pigs at the tenth month of the study). In both groups, VLDL-triacylglycerol decreased (P<0??05). VLDL-triacylglycerol evolution in the overfed group was associated with an increase in LDL-triacylglycerol plasma concentrations (P<0??05) after sexual maturation. LDL-triacylglycerol concentration in overfed mini-pigs went from an average of 0??28 mmol/l before sexual maturation to reach an average concentration of 0??56 mmol/l afterwards. This phenomenon has never been observed in similar studies when obesity is induced in adult mini-pigs and may represent a specific hallmark of an obesity induced during sexual maturity. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Butyrate is recognised as efficient in healing colonic inflammation, but cannot be used as a long-term treatment. Dietary fibre that produces a high-butyrate level when fermented represents a promising alternative. We hypothesised that different types of dietary fibre do not have the same efficiency of healing and that this could be correlated to their fermentation characteristics. We compared short-chain fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) and type 3 resistant starch (RS) in a previously described dextran sulfate sodium (DSS)-induced colitis model. Seventy-two Sprague???Dawley rats received water (control rats) or DSS (50g DSS/l for 7d then 30g DSS/l for 7 (day 7) or 14 (day 14) d). The rats were fed a basal diet (BD), or a FOS or RS diet creating six groups: BD-control, BD-DSS, FOS-control, FOS-DSS, RS-control and RS-DSS. Caeco-colonic inflammatory injuries were assessed macroscopically and histologically. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) were quantified in caeco-colon, portal vein and abdominal aorta. At days 7 and 14, caecal and distal macroscopic and histological observations were improved in RS-DSS compared with BD-DSS and also with FOS-DSS rats. Caeco-colonic SCFA were reduced in FOS-DSS and RS-DSS groups compared with healthy controls. The amount of butyrate was higher in the caecum of the RS-DSS rats than in the BD-DSS and FOS-DSS rats, whereas distal butyrate was higher in FOS-DSS rats. Partially explained by higher luminal levels of SCFA, especially butyrate, the healing effect of RS confirms the involvement of some types of dietary fibre in inflammatory bowel disease. Moreover, the ineffectiveness of FOS underlines the importance of the type of dietary substrate. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Pulses supply many bioactive substances found in minor amounts in food, but which may have significant metabolic and/or physiological effects. These compounds have long been classified as antinutritional factors, but many studies have reconsidered their impact on health. Some could play a role in the prevention of the major diseases of affluent societies. As these compounds can be beneficial or adverse, depending on conditions, an assessment of their various physiological effects is necessary to determine whether they should be preserved or eliminated in each main nutritional situation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Portal appearance of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) produced from fermentation of three different resistant starch (RS) sources (raw potato starch, high-amylose maize starch and retrograded high-amylose maize starch) was investigated in pigs. The catheterization technique coupled with determination of portal blood flow was used to estimate SCFA uptake by the colonic mucosa. Our hypothesis was that these three RS were not equivalent butyrate providers for the colonic mucosa and that butyrate uptake would therefore be different after in vivo fermentation of each starch. The starches induced different patterns of appearance of SCFA in the portal blood; raw potato starch was the only RS source to show a significant appearance of butyrate in the portal blood. Thus, uptake of butyrate by the colonic mucosa apparently differed between starches. This finding suggests that butyrate uptake does not only depend on the flow of butyrate appearing in the lumen. Indeed, for unexplained reasons, utilization of butyrate by the colonic mucosa appeared to be less efficient when the butyrate was produced from fermentation of potato starch than when it was produced from fermentation of the other RS sources. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]