Webinar preview: Roquette to highlight gut health benefits of fibers and prebiotics

25 May 2023 --- Studies increasingly show that a healthy gut microbiome supports a healthy immune system. Consumption of fibers and prebiotics helps gut and immune health, but despite a growing consumer interest in fiber, many people worldwide are not getting enough. 

Ahead of Roquette’s upcoming webinar, “Beyond Fiber: Gut health, prebiotics and immunity,” on June 1 (16:00 CET), NutritionInsight sits down with the company’s global market manager, Iva François, its nutrition and health research manager, Caroline Perreau and its global technical developer, Arnaud Kosinski. 

“The gut microbiome contains millions of beneficial bacteria that help to regulate the immune system. These bacteria produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which serve as an energy source for the cells lining the gut and help to maintain the integrity of the gut barrier, a crucial part of the immune system,” explains Perreau. 

The gut microbiome composition and environment are influenced by factors such as age, lifestyle, medications and diet, especially consumption of fibers and prebiotics. Roquette expects the importance of fiber to continue to grow as more and more people seek to optimize their nutrition without sacrificing taste and convenience. 

Although there is a growing consumer interest in fiber, many people need to consume more fiber. Fiber gap
The speakers of the upcoming webinar hope that, through education and awareness initiatives, more people will be able to meet their daily recommended fiber intake to use fibers’ related health benefits.

“Fiber is an essential nutrient that plays an important role in promoting digestive health, blood glucose management, satiety, weight management and sustained energy release,” notes François. 

“The World Health Organization recommends a daily fiber intake of at least 25 grams per day, yet studies show that only a small percentage of people are meeting this recommendation.” She refers to studies in the US and UK where less than ten percent of adults meet recommended daily intake. 

The speakers of the upcoming webinar note that the fiber gap is so large that fibers from different sources are needed. 

Consumers can target their gut health and immunity through nutrition by incorporating more fruits and vegetables into their daily diet. At the same time, Roquette sees a need for convenient products to provide increased fiber ingredients.

Prebiotic market developments 
By providing food for beneficial bacteria, prebiotics can help to promote a healthy gut microbiome, which supports a robust immune system. 

“Part of prebiotics are soluble dietary fibers that can modulate a selection of bacteria and demonstrate linked health benefits. All fibers are not prebiotics and all prebiotics are not fibers. The health benefits of fibers are not the same for all fibers,” explains Perreau.

François adds there has been an increase in global awareness of prebiotics and their role in digestive, immune and overall health. 

Roquette will present a fiber boost beverage with Nutriose soluble fiber in the webinar, which helps to maintain digestive health balance (Image credit: Roquette).“Furthermore, prebiotics as key ingredients are driving innovation. Between 2018 and 2022, the launch of new products featuring ‘prebiotics’ claims has grown with a compound annual growth rate of +11% globally.” 

According to Innova Market Insights, the most significant segments of new product developments with prebiotic claims in recent years are babies and toddlers, beverages, dairy and cereals.

Healthy gut 
Roquette’s Nutriose soluble fiber has been developed to support the gut microbiome and immune system. The product has immunomodulatory properties and is considered a prebiotic, based on the scientific definition of the International Scientific Association for Probiotics and Prebiotics. 

“Thanks to its outstanding clinically proven digestive tolerance, its high solubility and excellent process stability (pH, temperature change), Nutriose can be added to a large range of food and beverage applications, from functional drinks to bakery products as well as nutraceuticals that can be diluted in water,” explains Kosinski.

Nutriose is a range of plant-based soluble fibers derived from non-GMO wheat or corn, with a neutral taste to preserve the original flavor of the products. The company notes that the products are simple to use and easy to supplement most types of food with fiber.

In the webinar, Roquette will present a fiber boost beverage with Nutriose soluble fiber, which has a prebiotic effect and helps to maintain digestive health balance. 

By Jolanda van Hal