Gum arabic shows

prebiotic potential in
humans: Study
By Stephen Daniells, 20-Nov-2008
Related topics: Research, Probiotics and prebiotics
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Ten grams of gum arabic may produce a prebiotic effect in humans by boosting
gut populations
of specific bacteria, says a new study from Kerry
Foui weeks of supplementation with the company's Emulgold-branded
gum arabic led to significant
increases in Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilti bacteria, according to results published in the Brifish Journal of
Nufrition.
Wim Calame from the Kerry Group Nutrition Technical Center, in collaboration with scientists from
Nutriscience BV and Kerry Ingredients, also report that the 10 gram dose led to significantly higher numbers
of Bifidobacteria, Lactobacilli and Bacterordes than for inulin, at like for like doses'
"It is concluded that
gum arabic establishes
prebiotic efficacy, at least as good as inulin," wrote the
researchers.
The burgeoning
prebiotic market has been largely created by three inulin producers, all of which are based
in Europi. Modern recommendations for inulin and oligofructose intake are between five and eight grams
per day.
Other ingredient manufacturers are increasingly looking to promote the prebiotic effect of their products as
evidence suggests that
prebiotics could be even more useful than the probiotic bacteria that they feed.
Prebiotic ingredients, or those that boost the growth of beneficial
probiotic bacteria in the gut, are worth
about 90 million in the European marketplace but are forecast to reach L79.7 million by 2010, according
to Frost & Sullivan.
Study details
The researchers recruited 54 healthy human volunteers (average age 30.9) and assigned them to various
daily doses of gum arabic, including 5, IO,20, and 40 grams in water. Water with no gum arabic was used
as a control.
lJsing Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilti as potentially beneficial bacteria, and Bacteroides, Clostridium difficile
andEnterococci as potentially non-beneficial, Calame and his co-workers report significant increases in
Bifidobacteria and Lactobacll/i species after four weeks"
Moreover, the optimal dose was ten grams per day.
"The results of the present study demonstrate that gum arabic (EmulGold) bears prebiotic efficacy within a
dose range similar.to or lower than inulin, as established via the quantitative development of bacteria in
stool samples, " wrote the researchers,
"Taking into account its functional properties within food matrices this compound will be an attractive
ingred-ient for the functional food segment. To what extent it will also exhibit other physiologically relevant
properties remains open for further studies," they concluded.
Definitions and potential
prebiotics
are defined as "nondigestible substances that
provide a beneficial
physiological effect on the host
by selectively stimulating the favourable growtlyor activity of a limited number of indigenous bacteria".
The vast majority of science for prebiotics focuses on inuhh and oligofructose, with health benefits repofted
to include improving bones health, reducing the risk of colorectal cancer, boosting immunity, and enhancing
satiety and aiding weight management.
Gum facts
The supply of gum arabic (E4L4 in the EU), also known as acacia
gum because it comes from Acacia trees in
the gum belt of Africa, is variable due to political and climatic factors in the primary producing countries like
Sudan and Nigeria and this has led to spikes in the price of the ingredient.
Gum arabic, known as the Rolls Royce' of gums, is widely u99d by the food and beverage industry, and the
top producers (mainly Sudan) bring about 50,000 tonnes of the
9um
to the market each year.
Source: British Journal of Nutrition .
December 2008, Volume 100, Issue 6, Pales 1269-1275
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,
"Gum arabic estabtishes
prebiotic functionatity ih healthy humai'volunteers in a dose-dependent manner'
Authors: W, Calame, A.R. Weseler, C. Viebke, C. Flynn, A.D' Siemensma
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