Adding more fiber to our diet without compromising on a recipe's appeal is something most of us can do.
Scientists from Australia's RMIT University have developed a product that can be added to food without changing its taste, color, or texture.
FiberX is made from native starches like wheat, corn, and cassava. Micro organisms in our colon can ferment it and possibly improve the digestion process.
FiberX can be added to cakes and pizza to make them healthier, as well as to foods that are low in calories or low on the glycemic index, which is important for those with diabetes. It is possible to make it in a way that is free of gluten.
One of the main issues with many commercially- available fiber supplements to date is that they change the taste or texture of the food.
Once added, our product is not noticeable. It's similar to a parent hiding vegetables in a child's meal to make it more healthy.
The researchers say they were able to add the equivalent of 20 percent extra fiber to foods with FiberX before anyone noticed a difference. That's a lot of money.
To produce FiberX, the scientists modified the original structure of starch on a molecular level to see how it would hold up in the body'sDigestive system.
"After the resistant starch goes through this process, it needs to have high levels of resistance to be counted as a successful conversion to diet fiber," says a food scientist.
The majority of the original starch can be converted into fiber with this method. Before FiberX is scaled up and mass-produced, the team is looking at green, chemical-free ways to apply this conversion.
Fiber has the effect of improving the function of the gut and keeping it healthy, because it can't be eaten by the human gut. It has been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
The researchers say that there are benefits to FiberX beyond the direct health implications, for example, the huge amount of waste produced as byproducts can be turned into dry pulse starch and then into FiberX.
The research team is working with the Microtec Engineering Group to get FiberX out of the lab and into actual products, and at a competitive price, though there are still a lot of steps to take.
It will be important to assess the impact of modified starch on the organisms that live within us.
A review by the same team recently published in Food Hydrocolloids assessed the different techniques for modifying starch from cassava and found many health benefits for the more resistant forms.
"This new technology means we can increase the amount of fiber that goes into the food so we can receive our recommended daily intake, even while consuming less food, which has potential to help with weight management and diabetes."
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