How Much Do You Know About Prebiotic Foods?

Researches in recent years has shown that intestinal microecology plays a vital role in regulating human metabolism and immune function. Prebiotics, probiotics, postbiotics, etc. are called "intestinal microecological regulators" and are gradually being used in food research and development. This blog analyzes the compliance knowledge related to prebiotic foods on the definition and types of prebiotics, prebiotic food quality and safety, and labeling requirements for people reference.

What are prebiotics?

As the "food" of probiotics, prebiotics have health care effects on the human body that have been confirmed by a large number of studies, including improving intestinal health, enhancing immunity, lowering cholesterol, and anti-cancer effects. FAO defines prebiotics as "food ingredients that are not digested and absorbed by the host, can regulate the microbiome, and help the host improve the health of the body." From this definition, as a prebiotic, it needs to meet two conditions. First, it cannot be hydrolyzed by enzymes in the upper digestive tract of mammals. It is best not to be digested in the large intestine, and it can induce sugar catabolism in the entire colon; Secondly, it can selectively stimulate the growth and metabolism of beneficial bacteria in the large intestine.

What prebiotics can be used in food?

Substances clearly called prebiotics in our country's regulatory documents include galactooligosaccharides(GOS), fructooligosaccharides (FOS), and polyfructose, and inulin, isomaltooligosaccharides, soybean oligosaccharides, and xylooligosaccharides , stachyose, etc. are also recognized as prebiotic substances at home and abroad.

In fact, the above prebiotic substances are also water-soluble dietary fibers. However, from the definition of prebiotics, not all prebiotic substances are water-soluble dietary fibers. With the deepening of research, more and more food ingredients will be recognized and the types of prebiotics will be more abundant. It should be noted that if the new prebiotic substances developed do not have proof of edibility in China, they must be declared in accordance with the "Management Measures for Safety Review of New Food Raw Materials" and can only be used in food after approval.

What quality and safety requirements should prebiotic foods meet?

Prebiotic foods refer to foods with added prebiotic substances. At present, prebiotic foods mainly determine the general food safety standards and food safety product standards that should be implemented based on their specific food categories. At the same time, they should comply with the requirements of their product implementation standards. For example, inulin solid beverages should comply with the index requirements for solid beverages in general standards as well as the requirements of the National Food Safety Standard Beverages (GB 7101-2022) and executive standards (if not GB 7101); prebiotic grain meal replacement powder should comply with universal standards as well as the requirements of the National Food Safety Standard for Prepared Cereal Products (GB 19640-2016) and executive standards (if not GB 19640).

What should we pay attention to when labeling prebiotic foods?

When emphasizing prebiotic substances, the amount added or the content in the finished product should be marked in accordance with the provisions of GB 7718. The standard terms for energy and nutritional ingredient function claims in Appendix D of GB 28050 do not include "prebiotics" and specific prebiotic substances, such as galacto-oligosaccharides, fructooligosaccharides, polyfructosaccharides, inulin, etc. Therefore, it is not possible to claim the nutritional function of "prebiotics" or prebiotic substances. But it is possible to claim the function of dietary fiber based on the fact that prebiotics belong to dietary fiber, including "dietary fiber helps maintain normal intestinal function" and "dietary fiber is a low-energy substance". For prebiotic substances that can be used as both ordinary food raw materials and food nutrition enhancers, the labeling requirements should be based on the specific uses in food and comply with the requirements of labeling standards and regulations such as GB 7718 and GB 28050. Ordinary prebiotic foods cannot be labeled or imply that they have disease prevention, treatment or health care effects.