Fibre Labelling Status of Litesse® Polydextrose
Due to its minimal digestibility polydextrose also functions as a dietary fibre. Polydextrose is recognised as a dietary fibre in the following countries: Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Brunei, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Peoples Republic of China, Philippines, Poland, Russia, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, United Kingdom, USA and Vietnam. Broader approval is currently being sought Worldwide.
Special Considerations Concerning the Fibre Labelling Status of Litesse® Polydextrose in the U.S.
Currently, there is no “official” definition of dietary fibre in U.S. labelling regulations (NLEA 21CFR 101.9). Therefore, the labelling of fibre ingredients has been based upon analytical determination using AOAC enzymatic gravimetric methods (AOAC 985.29 and 991.43). These methods involve precipitation of soluble fibre in 80% ethanol. A number of ingredients (including polydextrose) with clearly documented clinical evidence of physiological fibre properties do not precipitate in 80% ethanol, however, and thus have been prevented from fibre labeling, until recently.
An official AOAC method has been recently validated for determination of polydextrose (2000.11) in foods for labeling compliance. This value can be added to that obtained by AOAC 985.29 and 991.43 to determine total fibre.
In addition, two prestigious bodies in the U.S. have published new definitions of fibre, both of which encompass polydextrose:
American Association of Cereal Chemists (AACC) – finalized June 2000:
“Dietary fibre is the edible parts of plants, or analogous carbohydrates, that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine. Dietary fibre includes polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lignin and associated plant substances. Dietary fibres promote beneficial physiological effects including laxation, and/or blood cholesterol attenuation, and/or blood glucose attenuation.”
