Scientific Research and Studies
Prebiotic Fibres
Prebiotic Fibre Research
Dietary fibre in gastrointestinal health and disease
“Epidemiological studies have consistently demonstrated the benefits of dietary fibre on gastrointestinal health through consumption of unrefined whole foods, such as wholegrains, legumes, vegetables and fruits. Mechanistic studies and clinical trials on isolated and extracted fibres have demonstrated promising regulatory effects on the gut (for example, digestion and absorption, transit time, stool formation) and microbial effects (changes in gut microbiota composition and fermentation metabolites) that have important implications for gastrointestinal disorders.”
Link to research: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41575-020-00375-4
Unveiling the Health Benefits of Prebiotics: A Comprehensive Review
“The integration of prebiotics and probiotics into our daily diet establishes a cornerstone for optimal health, a priority for health-conscious consumers emphasizing nutrition that supports a balanced gut flora. Prebiotics offer diverse biological functions in humans, exhibiting antiobesity, antimicrobial, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and cholesterol-lowering properties, along with preventing digestive disorders.”
Link to research: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12088-024-01235-4
Apple Fibre
Exploring the prebiotic potential of unpurified apple dietary fibre concentrate
“digestion of UADFC increased the relative abundance of probiotic microorganisms such as Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp., as analysed by qPCR. Furthermore, the digestion of UADFC released a significant amount of Short Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs), particularly butyric acid (10.01 mM), as quantified using gas chromatography. This is likely related to the observed increase in Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus spp. Based on these results, UADFC could be classified as a prebiotic”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2025.117608
Prebiotic potential of apple pomace and pectins from different apple varieties: Modulatory effects on key target commensal microbial populations
“Apple pomace and pectin modulated beneficial gut bacteria including Eubacterium and Lachnospiraceae in fecal fermentations.”
“Apple pomace promoted short-chain fatty acid producers in Chron's disease microbiota.”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodhyd.2022.107958
Chicory Root Fibre (Inulin):
Inulin: properties and health benefits
“It is universally acknowledged that inulin as a prebiotic has an outstanding effect on the regulation of intestinal microbiota via stimulating the growth of beneficial bacteria. In addition, inulin also exhibits excellent health benefits in regulating lipid metabolism, weight loss, lowering blood sugar, inhibiting the expression of inflammatory factors, reducing the risk of colon cancer, enhancing mineral absorption, improving constipation, and relieving depression.”
https://doi.org/10.1039/D2FO01096H
Effect of consumption of chicory inulin on bowel function in healthy subjects with constipation: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial (Clinical Trial)
“Inulin was effective in subjects with chronic constipation. A significant increase of stool frequency was documented, which was accompanied by a softening of stool consistency and that had a positive impact on the quality of life, primarily increasing the satisfaction.”
https://doi.org/10.1080/09637486.2016.1212819
Role of inulin as prebiotics on inflammatory bowel disease
“Inulin enhances the growth of indigenous lactobacilli and/or bifidobacteria by inducing colonic production of short chain fatty acids (SCFA's) and these properties are related to decreased mucosal lesion scores and diminished mucosal inflammation. Inulin shows a positive approach to retain microbial populations and to support epithelial barrier function by their prebiotic effect”
Green Banana Fibre
Effect of green banana and pineapple fibre powder consumption on host gut microbiome (Clinical Trial)
“Green bananas are rich in pectin, which slows gastric emptying, improves bowel function, reduces glucose and cholesterol absorption, and produces SCFAs when fermented by colonic microbiota. In turn, these processes reduce intestinal inflammation, improve gut microbiome balance, and lower the risk of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).”
“Dietary fibre and resistant starches (RS) in GBP (Green Banana Fibre) and PFP (Pineapple Fibre Powder) promoted temporal increases in beneficial bacteria.”
“PFP benefitted both genders aged 16–23, while GBP benefitted overweight/obese individuals, including females. GBP and PFP fiber and RS improved bowel regularity and health as well as metabolism by promoting histidine, branched-chain amino acids, short-chain fatty acids, and biotin production. The additional fiber caused “low” bloatedness and reduced “fairly bad” sleep disruptions, without affecting sleep durations.”
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1437645
Bioaccessibility of Phenolic Compounds, Resistant Starch, and Dietary Fibers from Australian Green Banana during In Vitro Digestion and Colonic Fermentation
“Green bananas contain a substantial amount of resistant starch (RS), dietary fiber (DF), and phytochemicals, which exhibit potent antioxidant capabilities, primarily attributable to the abundance of polyphenols.”
“the consumption of whole green bananas may have an advantageous effect on bowel health and offer antioxidant characteristics.”
Beta-Glucan - Yeast Derived
Mechanistic insights into β-glucans and gut microbiota interactions for enhancing human health
“As non-digestible fibers, β-glucans reach the colon intact, where fermentation by gut microbes produces short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate, which support gut integrity, immune modulation, and metabolic balance. Their ability to modulate cholesterol, glucose metabolism, and immune responses has positioned them as promising agents for therapeutic applications.”
“By supporting the growth of beneficial microbes like Lactobacillus sp. and Bifidobacterium sp., β-glucans help maintain microbial balance and may alleviate the risks linked to dysbiosis, such as metabolic, inflammatory, and neurological disorders. A thorough synthesis of current research reveals that β-glucans not only enhance these species but also encourage the growth of other beneficial microbes, including Faecalibacterium sp. and Roseburia sp., which are key butyrate producers. This interaction shapes gut microbial metabolism, promotes short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and influences systemic immune responses and chronic disease management. Integrating structurally diverse β-glucans into functional foods and precision nutrition approaches holds great potential for improving both gut and overall health.”
“β-glucans have gained recognition for their significant impact on gut health, immune function, and overall well-being. Their role as prebiotics, promoting the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, enhances digestive health and supports immune system activation, making them a valuable dietary component. While current research underscores their potential in preventing
chronic diseases”
https://doi.org/10.1007/s44187-025-00503-6
Yeast β-glucan, a potential prebiotic, showed a similar probiotic activity to inulin
“β-glucan could modulate the structure and composition of gut microbiota by inhibiting the proliferation of harmful gut microbiota and promoting the growth of health-promoting gut microbiota.”
“Unlike inulin, β-glucan was able to better promote the growth of Bifidobacterium_longum.”
https://doi.org/10.1039/d0fo02224a
A critical review on the impacts of β-glucans on gut microbiota and human health
“β-(1,3/1,6)-glucans are predominantly found in fungi, yeasts, and mushrooms. These molecules possess a more intricate, branched structure, with a backbone of β-(1→3)-linked glucose units and side chains attached via β-(1→6) linkages (Vetter, 2023). This branching architecture enables them to interact with specific immune receptors, such as Dectin-1, found on macrophages and dendritic cells, thereby activating innate immune responses (Mata-Martínez et al., 2022). Compared to their cereal counterparts, fungal β-glucans exhibit lower solubility and moderate fermentability. Nonetheless, they exert potent immunomodulatory effects, making them especially valuable in the development of nutraceuticals and therapeutic agents aimed at enhancing immune function.”
“Similar to mushroom β-glucans, those from yeast enhance the activity of immune cells like macrophages and neutrophils, making them valuable in strengthening the immune defense against infections and improving overall immune resilience.”
“β-glucans, especially those with a (1,3/1,6) structure from yeast and fungi, bind to immune cell receptors, activating responses that enhance pathogen defense and reduce inflammation”
“Clinical studies show that β-glucans from oats, barley, mushrooms, and yeast improve symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), reduce inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and support immune health in individuals prone to infections”
“Although there is no officially recommended daily dose for immune support, studies have shown that even small amounts of 250–500 mg per day of yeast-derived β-glucans can enhance immune parameters”
Soluble Guar Fibre
Role of guar fiber in improving digestive health and function
“Guar fiber has dual action to reduce both constipation and diarrhea. Guar fiber alleviated the conditions and symptoms associated with irritable bowel syndrome. All the digestive health effects were observed with intake of about 5 to 6 g of guar fiber.”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2018.07.109
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum is associated : with improvement in gut health, sleep, and motivation among healthy subjects
“PHGG was found effective in improving constipation, intestinal microbiota, as well as sleep, and motivation in the healthy subjects.”
PMID: 36936875
Dietary intervention of prebiotic partially hydrolyzed guar gum improves skin viscoelasticity, stratum corneum hydration, and reduction of trans-epidermal water loss: a randomized, double-blind, and placebo-controlled clinical study in healthy humans (Clinical Trial)
“Results confirmed the improvement in skin conditions throughout the winter season by restoring skin hydration, reducing trans-epidermal water loss (TEWL), and improving skin elasticity parameters. After 6 weeks of PHGG intake, there was a substantial decrease in TEWL and improvement in viscoelasticity metrics when compared to placebo.”
PMID: 39896159
Prebiotic Effects of Partially Hydrolyzed Guar Gum on the Composition and Function of the Human Microbiota- Results from the PAGODA Trial
“In healthy subjects, PHGG had significant effects on stool frequency and consistency. These effects were paralleled by changes in α-(species evenness) and β-diversity (Bray–Curtis distances), along with increasing abundances of metabolites including butyrate, acetate and various amino acids.”
Rice Bran
Comprehensive assessment of rice bran dietary fiber on gut microbiota composition and metabolism during in vitro fermentation
“results showed that rice bran dietary fiber could promote the production of short-chain fatty acids and the growth of probiotics during the fermentation in vitro”
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2024.115231
Supplementation with soluble or insoluble rice-bran fibers increases short-chain fatty acid producing bacteria in the gut microbiota in vitro
“We found that insoluble and soluble fiber fractions increased short-chain fatty acid production, indicating that both fractions were fermented. Both soluble and insoluble rice bran fractions increased the abundance of Bifidobacterium and Lachnospiraceae taxa.”
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2024.1304045
Ameliorative Effects of Rice Bran: Bridging Research Gaps and Emerging Trends
“it is a rich source of essential constituents such as dietary fibers, vitamins, and minerals. Moreover, the bioactive composites in RB comprise polyphenols, phytosterols, and antioxidants, which have been comprehensively studied for their therapeutic applications.”
“Its role in improving overall health has been recognized through research demonstrating its capability to decrease oxidative stress, inflammation, and chronic illness risk. RB is a prospective component in functional foodstuffs and nutraceuticals due to its bioactive composites, chiefly phenolic acids and flavonoids, which support its immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities. In accumulation, the medicinal worth of RB is also joined by its capability to improve gut health and modify gut flora.”