Special Issue "Dietary Fibre: Biochemistry and Nutritional Science"

Guest Editor
Prof. Dr. Charles Brennan
Department of Food and Tourism Management, Manchester Metropolitan University, Hollings Faculty, Old Hall Lane, Manchester, M14 6HR, UK
Website: http://www.hollings.mmu.ac.uk/
E-Mail:
Phone: + 44 (0)161 247 2717
Interests: polysaccharide utilisation, glycemic response; dietary fibre; food structure and function

Dear Colleagues,

The increased consumption of high-fat, high-calorie foods has been linked to an unprecedented growth in the risk for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancers. Concern with regards to over-consumption of carbohydrates and sugars has been voiced extensively. In an attempt to tackle the situation, there have been recommendations to decrease of intake of sugars, fat and alcohol, and increase the consumption of fruits, vegetables and cereal products, with an aim to increase the total dietary fibre (TDF) intake to minimum intake 25 g /day.

An examination of recent publications illustrates that extensive research has demonstrated the potential nutritional benefits of a moderate-high fibre dietary intakes With this in mind, there appears to be a consensus that fibre forms a crucial part to the maintenance of normal nutrition as part of a balanced nutritional diet.

Thus dietary fibres have been illustrated to be effective in reducing postprandial glycaemic, insulin, and cholesterol responses in humans. Different dietary fibres appear to have different metabolic and physiological effects depending upon their chemical and physical properties. An understanding of these characteristics is useful in predicting the physiological response to a source of fibre (Brennan 2005, Molecular Nutrition and Food Research49, 560-570.).

Submission of papers are now sought for a special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences "Dietary Fibre: Biochemistry and Nutritional Science" exploring current research determining the link between dietary fibre source and functionality.

Prof. Dr. Charles Brennan
Guest Editor

Submission

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. Papers will be published continuously (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are refereed through a peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed Open Access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs).

• dietary fibre
• functional foods
• glyceamic response
• obesity
• cancer (or carbohydrates)

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Effects of Different Kind of Fructans on Body Weight, Blood Metabolites and Bacteria Feces in Non-Diabetic and Diabetic Rats with Normal Weight and Obesity
Authors: J. A. Rendón-Huerta ¹, B. I. Juárez-Flores ², J. M. Pinos-Rodríguez ², J. R. Aguirre-Rivera ² and R. E. Delgado ³
Affiliations: ¹ Programa Multidisciplinario de Postgrado en Ciencias Ambientales, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78377, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
² Instituto de Investigación de Zonas Desérticas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78377, San Luis Potosí, Mexico; E-Mail: jpinos@uaslp.mx (J.M.P.-R.)
³ Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de San Luis Potosí, 78377, San Luis Potosí, Mexico
Abstract: Two experiments were developed to compare the effects of three fructans (Cichorium intybus, Helianthus tuberosus and Agave angustifolia) on body weight change, blood metabolites and feces bacteria in non-diabetic and diabetic rats with normal weight and obesity. In rats with normal weight, fructans decreased the total weight gain in non-diabetic, but not in diabetic rats; only in diabetic rats, blood glucose and Clostridium in feces decreased by fructans. In obese rats, total weight gain was decreased by fructans in both diabetic and non-diabetic rats; only in non-diabetic rats, fructans reduced blood glucose; in diabetic rats, total cholesterol and low-density lipoproteins were increased, and high-density lipoproteins were decreased by fructans.

Type of paper: Article
Title: Functionally Distinct Dietary Fibres from Anatomically Distinct Vegetable Tissues
Authors: John Monro and Suman Mishra
Affiliation: New Zealand Institute for Crop & Food Research Ltd, Palmerston North, New Zealand; E-Mail: monroj@crop.cri.nz (J.M.)
Abstract: The relationship between plant anatomy and dietary fibre functionality in anatomically distinct vegetable tissues–fibrous rind and parenchymatous pith–from broccoli frames is reported. Whole frames (F), and separated rind (R) and pith (P) were milled and the dietary fibre content, hydration properties (swelling (SW) and water retention (WR)) after gastric and ileal digestion of raw and cooked samples, the impact of digested samples on glucose diffusion and mixing under ileal conditions, faecal bulking effects in a rat model, and effects on baking quality in bread were measured. On a dry weight basis, dietary fibre contents of the tissues were: F, 60.9%; R, 75.09%; and P, 34.1%. The pith was entirely parenchyma, while the rind contained secondarily thickened, lignified cell walls of xylem vessels and fibres in vascular/structural tissues. Pith non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) contained more pectin than that of rind, whereas rind NSP contained more cellulose and lignin than the pith. SW and WRC were generally much greater for pith fibre than for rind or sugar beet fibre, before and after gastric and gastric/ileal digestions, but were reduced more by cooking more in pith than rind. Glucose diffusion rate was retarded about 40% by the fibre preparations, and mixing was similarly reduced. In a rat model, rind induced a much greater faecal bulking effect than pith (ratio of effect P:F:R = 1:5.3:6.5). The broccoli preparations performed similarly to sugar beet fibre in baking tests. It is concluded that anatomically distinct vegetable tissues may provide functionally distinct dietary fibres.
Keywords: dietary fibre; broccoli; functional properties; non-starch polysaccharide

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Variations in Content and Extractability of Durum Wheat (T.durum) Arabinoxylans Associated with Genetic and Environmental Factors
Authors: Roberto Ciccoritti, Giulia Scalfati, Alessandro Cammerata and Daniela Sgrulletta
Affiliation: CRA, Research Unit for Cereal Quality, Via Cassia 176, 00191 Rome, Italy; E-Mail: daniela.sgrulletta@entecra.it (D.S.)
Abstract: Arabinoxilans (AX) represent the most abundant components of non-starch polysaccharides in wheat, about the 70% of cell walls polysaccharides. AX are classified as water extractable (WE) or water unextractable (WU) fraction, this extractability being affected by the structure of the sugars chains. Another important property of AX, that has an significant impact on wheat technological characteristics and on their physiological positive influence, is their ability to form highly viscous water solutions. Durum wheat (Triticurn turgidurn L. var durum), the raw material for pasta production, is one of the most important crop in Italy. Into a large project on durum wheat quality improvement, the characterization of nutritional and technological aspects of whole grains was considered. Particular attention was addressed to identify the best suited genotypes for the production of innovative types of pasta with functional properties. The objective of this study was to characterize the genetic variability of AX and to identify the influence of different factors on their content and extractability by examining a group of durum wheat genotypes collected at two localities in Italy for two consecutive years (2008-09 and 2009-10). Gas chromatography of alditol acetates in total and insoluble dietary fibre residues wad used for AX measurements. Significant genetic and environment differences were found in tot and WE AX, the variability of these last appeared more influenced by environment.
Keywords: durum wheat; total and water extractable arabinoxylans; functional foods

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Genetic and Environmental Variability of Total and Soluble b-Glucan in Oat European Genotypes.
Authors: Rita Redaelli ¹, Viviana Del Frate ², Silvia Bellato ^2,3, Ester De Stefanis ² and Daniela Sgrulletta ²
Affiliations: ¹ CRA, Research Unit for Maize Culture, Via Stezzano 24, 24126 Bergamo, Italy
² CRA, Research Unit for Cereal Quality, Via Cassia 176, 00191 Rome, Italy; E-Mail: daniela.sgrulletta@entecra.it (D.S.)
³ Rome University Biomedical Campus, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
Abstract: The interest for oat (Avena ssp) soluble fibre (b-glucan) is increasing in relation to its renowned health benefits to the consumers. In particular, a high intake of b-glucan helps to improve the gut conditions and to reduce the blood levels of cholesterol and glucose. The physicochemical properties as well as the physiological effects of soluble fibres depend on their ability to form highly viscous solutions at low concentrations. In fact, chemically b-glucan consists of (1-3)(1-4) b-D-glucan, polysaccharide of glucose in which the (1-3) linkages contribute to the molecule flexibility and to its high solubility and viscosity properties. The aim of the present study was to investigate the variability existing in b-glucan content and composition of about 50 European oat genotypes grown in three environments (Poland, Bulgaria and Estonia) within the CEE Project  AGRI GEN RES 061 (870/2004, AVEQ). Among the considered environments the mean values of total b-glucan content ranged from 4.04 to 4.57 % d.m., and the soluble fraction from 2.75 to 3.48 % d.m.. Genotype affected significantly both total and soluble b-glucan; the data also indicated that the b-glucan solubility is highly influenced by the growing environment.
Keywords: oats; total and soluble b-glucan; functional food

Type of Paper: Article
Title: Chitosan Interaction with Iron from Yoghurt Using an in Vitro Digestive Model: Comparative Study with Plants Dietary Fibres
Authors: Marina Dello Staffolo, Miriam Martino, Alicia Bevilacqua, Mirta Montero, Liliana Albertengo and María Susana Rodríguez
Affiliation: CIDCA (Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos), Univ. Nac. de La Plata-CONICET, La Plata, Argentina;
E-Mail: marinads@cidca.org.ar (M.D.S.)
Abstract: The objective of the current work was to investigate the interaction of chitosan with iron from yoghurt by an in vitro gastrointestinal tract model. Taking into account that chitosan is a polysaccharide included in fibre definition by Codex Alimentarius, chitosan behaviour was studied and compared with different plant fibre (wheat, bamboo, apple, psyllium and inulin) behaviours, in the same in vitro conditions. Ferrous sulphate was added to yoghurts with each type of fibre. The gastric environment was simulated with HCl (pH 1.0–2.0). The duodenal environment was simulated with NaHCO3 (pH 6.8–7.2) and a dialysis tubing cellulose membrane. Results showed that chitosan had the highest iron retention percentages (53.2% at 30 min; 56.8% at 60 min) interacting in more pronounced form with iron than the plant fibres used in this work.