Current Exploration of Dietary Fiber Processing and Technologies Supporting Nutrition and Health

A special issue of Processes (ISSN 2227-9717). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Process Engineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 599

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Guest Editor
Department of Food Science and Biotechnology, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan
Interests: functional food development; food security; food regulation; dietary fiber
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In the ever-evolving field of food nutrition and health, carbohydrates have emerged as a key focal point of scientific inquiry as they encompass both digestible compounds, such as sugars and starches, which serve as primary energy sources, and their indigestible counterparts, such as dietary fibers, which play pivotal roles in digestive health and overall wellbeing. Emerging trends indicate a shift towards innovative production methods, leveraging advancements in food science and biotechnology to amplify the efficacy and application of these components. From pioneering fermentation techniques, enzymatic treatments, and chemistry modifications, to the precise formulation of functional ingredients, researchers are delving into avant-garde approaches to optimize the potential roles of these techniques in functional food product innovation. A meticulous evaluation of dietary fiber contributions has been conducted in various ways, including analyzing their effect on the metabolic activity of probiotics.

This Special Issue aims to present an overview of the cutting-edge strategies and solutions that have been studied to foster better understanding of dietary fibers and enabling support for their versatile applications in promoting nutrition development and human health. Researchers are invited to contribute original research or review articles focused on transdisciplinary aspects related to: 1) the modification of dietary fibers, including the generation of shorter compounds and the grafting of dietary fibers with bioactive components; 2) sustainable approaches in industrial manufacturing studies by utilizing agrifood waste as a source of dietary fiber and/or applying “greener” technologies in the processing of dietary fiber-related products; and 3) tackling the challenges of modifying the structural, compositional, and physicochemical characteristics of dietary fiber in terms of enhancing its role in improving overall health such as serving as a prebiotic or performing even more diverse functions. In this Special Issue, the latest strides in dietary fiber are scrutinized alongside their collective impact on functional food development and health promotion.

Prof. Dr. Chi-Fai Chau
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • carbohydrates
  • dietary fiber
  • prebiotics
  • emerging food technologies
  • health benefits
  • nutrient interaction
  • sustainable approaches
  • agrifood waste

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

17 pages, 2203 KiB  
Article
Phosphoric Acid-Assisted Enzymatic Production of Water-Soluble Cellulosic Oligomers
by Chiou-Yeong Saw, David Agus Setiawan Wibisono and Chi-Fai Chau
Processes 2025, 13(4), 1245; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13041245 - 20 Apr 2025
Viewed by 139
Abstract
Water-soluble cellulosic oligomers (WCOs) are increasingly recognized for their prebiotic benefits, but their efficient enzymatic production is hindered by the high crystallinity of cellulose, which limits enzyme accessibility. This study introduced an efficient and scalable strategy combining phosphoric acid pretreatment with enzymatic hydrolysis [...] Read more.
Water-soluble cellulosic oligomers (WCOs) are increasingly recognized for their prebiotic benefits, but their efficient enzymatic production is hindered by the high crystallinity of cellulose, which limits enzyme accessibility. This study introduced an efficient and scalable strategy combining phosphoric acid pretreatment with enzymatic hydrolysis to produce high-purity WCOs. Microcrystalline cellulose treated with 85 wt% phosphoric acid at 10 °C exhibited significantly reduced crystallinity and crystallite size, improving its susceptibility to enzymatic degradation. Subsequent hydrolysis of the hydrated regenerated cellulose (HRC85-10) using Celluclast® at pH 7.0 for 1 h resulted in a WCO selectivity of 93.5%, with cellobiose and cellotriose identified as major oligomeric products via electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. Maintaining cellulose in a hydrated form significantly improved both the yield and selectivity of WCOs. In vivo studies further confirmed the prebiotic potential, with a significant increase in fecal Lactobacillus spp. and Bifidobacterium spp. (p < 0.05) following WCO supplementation. These findings demonstrated a practical and effective approach for producing functional WCOs for use in dietary and gut health applications. Full article
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