Inulin: therapeutic potential, prebiotic properties and immunological aspects
The protective influence of dietary components on diseases development is a topic of major interest. Identification of such dietary components, understanding of their mechanisms of action as well as their development and use in human diet are some of the objectives of functional food
science. Inulin oligosaccharides are among the substrates considered as prebiotic for their non-digestible carbohydrate properties often found in many vegetables, fruits and cereals. There is convincing data to suggest that consumption of prebiotics such as inulin can modulate immunological
parameters in gut-associated lymphoid tissues, microflora and may present potential health implications in protection against colon diseases. This review shows the prebiotic properties, therapeutic potential and immunological aspects of inulin.
Keywords: colon disease; immunity; inulin; prebiotics
Document Type: Research Article
Affiliations: Department of Pathological Sciences, Biological Sciences Centre,State University of Londrina, Campus Universitario, Londrina,PR,86060-220, Brazil
Publication date: 01 March 2013
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