Germplasm evaluation to obtain inulin with high degree of polymerization in Mediterranean environment.

Long-chain length (DP) inulin-type fructans show pronounced beneficial effects to colon microbiota. In the past, cardoon roots for inulin production to fortify spaghetti gave very good results, but their harvest requires high costs. The aim of the work was to evaluate different types of inulin, extracted from cardoon roots and buds, topinambur tubers and chicory roots local populations in order to identify crops more suitable for high DP inulin production in Mediterranean environment. The inulin amount resulted in 115 (chicory), 390 (cardoon) and 550 g kg-1 of d.m. (topinambur). Both in cardoon roots and in topinambur tubers the DP was very high. With the aim to produce a functional food, substituting inulin in staple food tubers of topinambur could be a good alternative to cardoon roots, due to the biological cycle of the plant (annual vs poliennal), the lowest costs of harvest and the good amounts of high DP inulin.

Metabolomic analysis can detect the composition of pasta enriched with fibre after cooking.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that metabolomics has a definite place in food quality, nutritional value, and safety issues. The aim of the present study was to determine and compare the metabolites in different pasta samples with fibre, and to investigate the modifications induced in these different kinds of pasta during cooking, using a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-based metabolomics approach. RESULTS: Differences were seen for some of the amino acids, which were absent in control pasta, while were present both in the commercially available high-fibre pasta (samples A-C) and the enriched pasta (samples D-F). The highest content in reducing sugars was observed in enriched samples in comparison with high-fibre pasta. The presence of stigmasterol in samples enriched with wheat bran was relevant. Cooking decreased all of the metabolites: the high-fibre pasta (A-C) and Control showed losses of amino acids and tocopherols, while for sugars and organic acids, the decrease depended on the pasta sample. The enriched pasta samples (D-F) showed the same decreases with the exception of phytosterols, and in pasta with barley the decrease of saturated fatty acids was not significant as for tocopherols in pasta with oat. Principal component analysis of the metabolites and the pasta discrimination was effective in differentiating the enriched pasta from the commercial pasta, both uncooked and cooked. CONCLUSIONS: The study has established that such metabolomic analyses provide useful tools in the evaluation of the changes in nutritional compounds in high-fibre and enriched pasta, both before and after cooking. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry.

Inulin controls inflammation and metabolic endotoxemia in women with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a randomized-controlled clinical trial.

There is limited evidence on the effects of prebiotics on inflammation. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of inulin supplementation on inflammatory indices and metabolic endotoxemia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. The participants included diabetic females (n = 49). They were divided into an intervention group (n = 24) as well as a control group (n = 25) and received 10 g/d inulin or maltodextrin for 8 weeks, respectively. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbA1c, insulin, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-10 (IL-10), and plasma lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were measured pre and post intervention. Inulin-supplemented patients exhibited a significant decrease in FBS (8.5%), HbA1c (10.4%), fasting insulin (34.3%), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) (39.5%), hs-CRP (35.6%), TNF-α (23.1%), and LPS (27.9%) compared with the maltodextrin group (p < 0.05). Increase in IL-10 was not significant in inulin compared with the maltodextrin group. It can be concluded that inulin supplementation seems to be able to modulate inflammation and metabolic endotoxemia in women with type 2 diabetes.