Health Effects of Oligosaccharides (continued)

water-holding, and bulking effects. The : health contributions of oligosaccha-rides arise from their unique fermentation    characteristics   (bifidobacteria growth factor). Dietary fibers, espe- ! cially water-soluble dietary fibers, also appear to contribute to human health through  fermentation.   However,  at • present, the lack of detailed fermentation studies on dietary fibers makes it difficult to compare the bifidobacteria growth factor of oligosaccharides with that of dietary fibers.
The advantages oligosaccharides have over dietary fiber are that they ; have a smaller daily requirement (usu- : ally 3 g/day), do not cause diarrhea in recommended doses, are slightly sweet, have neither bad texture nor bad taste, are completely water soluble, do not build viscosity, do not bind minerals, are physically stable, and are easier to incorporate into processed foods and drinks.
Natural Occurrence
Several natural foods are known to contain oligosaccharides. For example, fructooligosaccharides can be found in onion, garlic, burdock, asparagus, chicory root, Jerusalem artichoke tuber, and other plants, and soybean oligosaccharides can be found in soybean. However, judging from usual eating habits, it may be difficult to ingest the recommended daily doses of oligosaccharides from natural foods. Average daily ingestion of fructooligosaccharides from natural sources is estimated to be approximately 0. 8 g/day/130 Ib of body weight in the U.S. (Spiegel et al., 1994). Thus, the ingestion of supplemental oligosaccharides may be beneficial for mature adults, people in stressful occupations, and people who wish to maintain a healthy digestive system.
Currently, fructooligosaccharides are commercially available in the U.S. from ZeaGen Corp., Westminster, Colo. A GRAS affirmation petition for soybean oligosaccharides submitted by Soya Oligosaccharides Japan, Inc., Tokyo, was accepted for filing in 1990 by the Food and Drug Administration.
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