USDA issues final rule strengthening National Organic Program

You can’t just label any product organic, and USDA is ensuring this measure come 2024. The federal agency issued a final rule to strengthen "oversight and enforcement of the production, handling and sale of organic agricultural products" in an effort to ensure products seeking the "USDA Organic" seal meet the necessary requirements. The rule, which takes effect on March 19, 2024, requires more certification and training for people and businesses that deal with organic food worldwide, more import certificates for organic products entering the country, more unannounced inspections and detailed container labeling, among other things.

FDA seeks public comment on lower lead concentrations in baby foods

In an effort to reduce excess levels of lead in baby foods, FDA is turning to the public for guidance on processed foods for babies and children under age 2. Piggybacking on its Closer to Zero initiative, the recommendations were issued for baby and children's foods packaged in jars, pouches, tubs and boxes. Lead may be present in these products because agricultural commodities they are made from—fruits, vegetables, grains and animals—absorb contaminants in the environment much like they do nutrients. Since completely removing lead from these products is impossible, FDA has established action levels—differing concentration levels for poisonous or deleterious substances at which the agency may deem a food to be adulterated—to ensure foods are safe to consume. FDA plans to monitor the industry’s progress in reducing the levels of lead in the foods identified in this draft guidance, while ensuring manufacturers utilize preventive controls to reduce or eliminate the presence of lead in their products. Individuals may submit written or electronic comments by March 27, 2023.

Kerry partners with Upcycled Food Foundation

Synergy is in the air. In 2021, nutrition company Kerry partnered with Upcycled Food Foundation (UFF) to launch the UFF Research Fellowship Program. Its aim is to advance understanding of the environmental impact, market, consumer perceptions, technical opportunities and overall potential of upcycled food. In 2022, eight fellows were selected to conduct research that reflects a research question of interest to the upcycled food community. Studies selected this year include consumer awareness and perception of upcycled products, novel ingredient development and impact measurement. Findings will be shared with members of Upcycled Food Association (UFF's subsidiary) and at exclusive events throughout the year.

Hawthorne Foods announces B Corp certification

Hawthorne Foods is spicing up the fermented game with its "wildly delicious, ready-to-eat vegetables." The range of fermented products incorporate unique global flavors—from turmeric sauerkraut and curtido to habanero carrot hot sauce and spicy ginger kimchi juice. Based in Hudson Valley, New York, the company is now certified as a B Corp—joining a group of more than 5,000 companies that "meet high standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency," according to B Lab, the nonprofit that created B Corp certification. Among its many initiatives, Hawthorne Foods reinvests 1% of sales back into its small organic family farm partners to providing living-wage jobs in its community.

Major plant-based brands forced to restructure

Although new plant-based foods and beverages continue popping up in retailers nationwide, some leading brands in the sector are experiencing declines in profits, which have led to unexpected layoffs. Key players in plant-based alternatives like Beyond Meat, Impossible Foods and Oatly made sizeable layoffs in 2022, while others like MorningStar Farms saw a double-digit decline in revenue, forcing a restructure of operations. Tattooed Chef, a plant-based CPG company that lost nearly half of its $1.7-billion valuation in 2022, is considering a brand overhaul by adding real meat to its product line in order to boost profits.

Heather Carter is the associate editor of Food & Beverage Insider at Informa Markets. She has worked in trade publishing for nearly a decade, covering a variety of topics, from tile to bedding. Reach her at [email protected].

Consumers today are looking to live healthier, more active lives. Health-inspired flavors may be the key to unlocking opportunities in a growing, yet crowded space for food and beverage brands.

The tumultuous experience of the past two years has prompted some people to make big changes in their lives to become healthier and more active. During the first few months of lockdowns in the United States, sales of home fitness equipment skyrocketed by 130%, according to data from The NPD Group. Sales of free weights increased by 181% and weight benches increased by 259% during those early months. Stationary bike sales spiked by 170%, causing supply shortages.

For similar reasons, consumer demand for healthy foods and beverages rose during these months. In particular, demand for plant-based products grew significantly, and the trend is not slowing. In fact, after a banner year in 2020, according to the Plant Based Foods Association, sales in 2021 of plant-based foods increased by more than 6% to a new record of $7.4 billion.

Wellness flavors for a healthy, active life

As consumers are increasingly taking steps to live healthier, more active lives, food and beverage brands are capitalizing on opportunities to present better-for-you offerings. Producers are formulating applications with less sugar, more protein and natural, functional ingredients.

Flavors appeal to deep-seated feelings and mental associations with a consumer’s knowledge and life experience; fitness flavors are no exception. Numerous exciting opportunities exist to use taste to accentuate the healthy appeal and functionality of applications for the active and health-oriented consumer. These opportunities for flavor/function synergy are called wellness flavors.

Color and flavor market information abounds in our digital magazine on the topic. Click the link to download it.

Wellness flavors signal an emotional or cognitive relationship to various aspects of personal health. These might include specific need states related to active lifestyles, such as reducing inflammation, or practical needs, like pre-workout energy boosters and post-workout recovery. Flavors can also accentuate the presence of functional ingredients, such as antioxidants and botanicals.

A variety of applications can carry the wellness flavors trend:

• Mood improvement and stress management

In a world unfortunately full of stress, consumers are looking for therapeutic products that help them relax and improve their mood. That means they’re seeking products with adaptogens, botanicals and functional fruits that support mental acuity, mindfulness, sleep and energy.

Within this space, wellness brands can find a flavor pairing that matches the relaxing and/or invigorating positioning of their products by strategically looking at their flavor selection. For a soothing product, flavors like passion fruit chamomile, blackberry lavender, black currant mint, and white tea nectarine are worth considering. For an energy-focused product, flavors like pineapple ginger, mango turmeric, and raspberry lime can vitalize an application.

• Digestive health and beyond

The microbiome and gut health are two popular focus areas, along with other need states like immune health, anti-inflammation and vision improvement. As advancements in medicine reach the general public, society as a whole continues to get savvier about the human body and what to put in it. Nutraceuticals are one example of that, and the food-as-medicine camp overall has seen an influx in interest.

Flavor profiles can draw on the functional ingredients associated with these need states, and they are perfect for this audience—think ginger chai apple cider vinegar, peppermint fennel, elderberry acai, golden chai turmeric, bilberry goji and more.

• Wellness inside and out

Looking one’s best often equates to feeling one’s best, putting self-care in a new spotlight. In fact, IRI Worldwide reported that 2021 saw an increase in sales for beauty brand companies of all sizes, as women and men increasingly look to improve and protect their skin, hair and nails through functional ingredients, including biotin- and collagen-based support.

For these applications, look for the flavors that will put a smile on customers’ faces: green tea tangerine, watermelon cucumber, antioxidant-rich pom-blueberry and cranberry matcha, and pineapple grapefruit.

All of these flavor options do more than just make an application taste better; they also help reinforce the health and wellness positioning of the product. Flavor is an opportunity to get creative during formulation and develop something that truly stands out on shelf and captures a new audience.

With a decade of flavor and ingredient industry experience, Philip Caputo leads marketing and consumer insight development at Virginia Dare. He and the flavor and extract company help brands turn ideas into innovative products with tasteful formats and flavors. Caputo’s previous roles were at Hagelin Flavors and Frutarom USA, and he has a business marketing degree from Manhattan College.

Dairy products and alternatives saw a spike in 2020 retail sales growth due to consumers cooking and eating at home more frequently during the pandemic. But these products registered a more modest growth of 2% in 2021, according to Euromonitor International.

Consumer demand for sustainable and healthy offerings, as well as convenience and transparency, are driving trends in the dairy industry. Alongside these consumer trends, inflationary pressures are through the roof and significant supply chain disruptions persist across the globe, which will also have a major impact on the future.

Functionality shapes innovation in dairy aisle

On the back of Covid-19, interest in “food as medicine” increased globally, with consumers looking at preventive health closer and choosing foods that might provide them with additional benefits. Immune support is one of the areas that accelerated quickly and ingredients promoting the immune system, such as vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc, have benefitted from this trend. Yogurt and sour milk products saw increased demand due to a wide range of offerings sometimes associated with potential immune support—not only through vitamin and mineral fortification, but also through their probiotics content. Global retail sales of yogurt grew by 5% in 2021 to reach $93 billion in 2021, according to Euromonitor. Also linked to immunity is gut health, which is gaining ground in the dairy space. Promising research on the gut-brain axis suggests a “happy gut” leads to a happy mood, and many manufacturers have capitalized on this growing interest to launch new innovations with this positioning.

Interested in more dairy data and information? This article was excerpted from a longer feature. Click the link to read it in full, along with related articles, in our free dairy digital magazine.

In the United States, Danone launched the new Activia+ Multi-Benefit yogurt in March 2022. It contains billions of live and active probiotics to help support gut health, as well as vitamin C, vitamin D and zinc to support the immune system. Another interesting example is a U.K. kefir product called Biotiful. In February 2022, the brand unveiled a major new product development plan to further push kefir into the mainstream, including coconut kefir and a plant-based oat kefir yogurt, all featuring a prominent, gut-friendly claim.

The clean label revolution continues to infiltrate the dairy aisle

Consumers increasingly scrutinize ingredients and labels. They are seeking transparency, less-processed food and inherently more natural products.

Dairy manufacturers are working on product recipes that shorten ingredient lists, like removing or replacing artificial ingredients with more natural ones. Analyzing the claim landscape for dairy products highlights different trends across regions.

Euromonitor data indicates “no GMO” is the most prominent and fastest-growing claim in North America, while “no artificial preservatives” and “natural” are the most prominent and among the fastest-growing in Australasia and Western Europe, respectively. Although dairy is non-GMO, a way for GMOs to enter the dairy supply is through animal feed, and manufacturers are highlighting dairy products as non-GMO, given the claim resonates with consumers.

Ingredient companies are also pushing for clean label solutions to tap into consumer demand. As an example, DSM launched a new culture for stirred yogurt in 2021, which claims to be indulgent, creamy yogurt with no extra ingredients.

A more localized future for dairy

Governments and consumers alike are pushing for more local production of dairy. On one hand, supply chain shocks in the last couple of years have been a stark reminder of the food security challenges for many countries that are heavily reliant on imports. As such, recent policies have turned to investing, promoting and fostering domestic food production, including dairy products.

On the other hand, consumers are choosing locally sourced dairy for two fundamental reasons: sustainability and a healthy halo. First, sustainable products may have a lower environmental impact because of fewer farm-to-fork miles—and they also support the local community and economy. Health is another vital consideration, as locally sourced dairy is associated with freshness and healthiness, as it’s often thought fewer nutrients are lost from the farm to the table.

Arla’s partnership with Tolaram Group in early 2022 is one initiative in this space. The goal of this joint venture is to build a commercial dairy farm in Nigeria to boost local milk production in the country. The farm will be built in Kaduna State, which is considered the “dairy state” in Nigeria.

María Mascaraque is a global industry manager at Euromonitor International with a focus on food and nutrition. Based in London, she has nearly a decade of experience in the industry. Mascaraque drives the content and quality of the firm’s global food industry research, provides global expertise and forward-thinking insights, and identifies the latest product developments and key market trends. With a doctorate in nutrition from Complutense University, Spain, she has a special interest in the dairy industry, plant-based eating, and health and wellness trends.

Protein use has experienced notable growth in recent years, marked by an increase in consumers’ perceived deficiency of the nutrient, a growing awareness and usage of plant-based protein, and the resulting proliferation of protein-rich and protein-enriched products across an array of food and beverage categories.

Protein is a key nutrient the body requires to grow, repair cells and function properly. Getting an appropriate amount of protein in one’s daily diet is important; many people do this by eating foods naturally high in protein, complementing their diet with foods that have been protein fortified or by taking dietary supplements.

Natural Marketing Institute (NMI), a consultancy in consumer health and wellness, continues to monitor the pulse of the protein market, providing a clear understanding of how consumers view the role of protein in their diet, how that view has evolved and opportunities for future growth.

The need for protein

Protein is necessary for everyday functions and is also a key healthy nutrient across many need states.

NMI’s “Whole Living Study” is a comprehensive consumer study of attitudes, behaviors and motivations related to the dynamic, multifaceted dimensions of healthy living. Conducted since 2005, this study trends over 2,000 adults ages 18 and older each year. NMI’s “2022 Whole Living Report” indicated the top reasons consumers want to maintain a healthy lifestyle include keeping a healthy body and mind, remaining active, having energy and maintaining or losing weight. Protein provides benefits that relate to all of these motivations.

Consumers continue to be very desirous of protein, as evidenced by NMI’s Health and Wellness Trends Database. Over three-quarters (77%) of American adults reported consuming high-protein foods in the past year, up 22% from 2011. Even further, 42% expressed that they want more protein in their diet. A notable and growing proportion considered their diet to be protein deficient. Some consumers may find it difficult to integrate protein into their diet. Other groups, such as vegans, dieters and athletes, may simply be getting insufficient amounts due to diet choices, and others have an inability to absorb protein efficiently. Protein is a macronutrient, so while the body needs large amounts, the body does not store protein. Therefore, no reservoir is available to draw on when the body needs more. Thus, getting the appropriate amount and type of protein on a daily basis is critical.

An increased demand for protein

The demand for protein has increased significantly over the past decade. In 2020, 55% of the general population indicated it seeks out foods that are high in protein, up from 45% in 2011. One-quarter indicated its use of high-protein foods has increased in the past year. This growth is primarily driven by younger generations.

Consumers often consider protein as a driver of which products they buy. One-quarter reported that the level of protein content is a value they check for most often on package labels and 16% indicated they check for the protein type.

To that end, non-animal sources of protein have become very popular as consumers look to rebalance their diet with more plant-based options. A majority (63%) reported they used a plant-based protein in the past year and 16% want more of these products in their diet. These market patterns are driven primarily by younger consumers under age 50.

Big Easy to house ‘largest potable rainwater collection site’

Bottling rainwater isn't a new concept, yet Richard's Rainwater is aiming for something new and innovative in this space. The Texas-based company, which has made strides in rainwater harvesting since its founding 25 years ago, is opening what it calls the world's largest potable rainwater collection site in partnership with Faubourg Brewing Co. and its parent company, Made By The Water LLC. Located in New Orleans—and serving as Louisiana's first-ever rain capture facility for drinking water—the new site is expected to collect more than 2 million gallons of water each year. Richard’s Rainwater captures newly fallen rain and packages it into recyclable aluminum cans and glass bottles.

FDA food safety chief resigns amidst DOJ investigation

You didn't have to be a parent last year to realize infant formula shelves were bare at grocery stores and major retailers across the country. Following a nationwide recall of its powder formulas (most notably, Similac) that closed its Michigan plant last year and sparked a nationwide formula shortage, Abbott Laboratories faced a lot of scrutiny from parents and the public alike, which has prompted a criminal investigation by the DOJ. In the midst of the investigation, FDA Deputy Commissioner for Food Policy and Response Frank Yiannas announced his resignation to FDA Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf, effective Feb. 24. Yiannas also informed the public at large through a Twitter post, which detailed his various accomplishments since joining FDA in 2018. Ironically, Yiannas highlighted the FDA's New Era of Smarter Food Safety blueprint, which he helped create, with one of the four core elements centered around smarter tools and approaches for prevention and outbreak response.

FDA to conduct study on front-of-pack labeling

As the United States continues to face an epidemic of diet-related chronic diseases, the FDA continues to prioritize its nutrition activities. The federal agency is spearheading consumer research on front-of-pack labeling to determine the most effective way to highlight nutritional information on food products. The FDA is hiring a contractor to initiate an online questionnaire with 3,000 U.S. adults of different genders, ages, ethnicities and education levels based on current U.S. Census Bureau data. The participants will be shown several proposed labels to gauge their perception on things like believability and trustworthiness.

Impossible Foods appoints first-ever chief demand officer

Impossible Foods—known for its signature plant-based burger—is strengthening its C-suite to reflect its success. The company recently named its first chief demand officer. The CPG industry veteran, Sherene Jagla, is tasked with integrating the company's sales, marketing, insights and product development teams to continue its growth path following a year of record sales. With more than 25 years of experience in the F&B industry, Jagla most recently served as the SVP and general manager at Newell Brands. Prior to her time at Newell, Jagla was a VP at Kellogg’s, where she helped build the Kashi brand, and held senior leadership positions with Kimberly-Clark and MillerCoors.

US wine brand first to achieve Natural Path certification

"Natural" and "organic" are some of the most requested attributes of food and beverages. More companies are looking to label their products as transparently as possible, including those in the wine industry. The nonprofit Clean Label Project, whose mission is to bring truth and transparency to food and consumer product labeling, is aiding the effort with its Natural Wine certification. To set specific standards that define natural winemaking, Clean Label Project launched two seals for vintners—Certified Natural and Certified Natural Path Production—which highlight natural wine best practices and sustainable modern wine production techniques. Duck Pond Cellars, based in Oregon, is the first U.S. wine brand to receive Natural Path certification for its line of minimal-intervention wines. The products are free of glyphosate and neonicotinoid pesticides, with vegan fining agents, no added sugar, no flash pasteurization and no thermovinification, as mandated by the certification.

New organic citrus fibers for food & beverage products

As upcycling advances in the F&B industry, food suppliers like Fiberstar Inc. are looking for ways to utilize the sustainable practice in innovative ways. The company just launched a line of new organic citrus fibers, Citri-Fi 400 series, which is an upcycled fiber produced from byproduct of the citrus juicing process. Think dried pulp. The product was created in response to the increasing demand for natural, sustainable and organic food ingredients. Fiberstar says the non-GMO, non-allergenic, gluten-free product improves the texture, stability and nutrition of a variety of food and beverages, including bakery, dairy, processed meats, dressings, sauces, frozen foods and plant-based alternatives. The product is USDA-certified organic and certified as an organic source by the European Union.

Tiny Tony's: Small candy, big impact

About three-quarters of the world's cocoa beans are produced in Africa—with Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) and Ghana leading the pack as the top-producing countries. Tony's Chocolonely, the chocolate brand with a mission to end exploitation in the cocoa industry, works with cocoa farmers in these West African countries to eliminate inequality and help create a slave-free chocolate industry. The company's signature big bars are characterized by their unequally divided bar mold, which represents the inequalities in the industry. The brand recently unveiled bite-size versions of the traditional chocolate bars called Tiny Tony’s. The new treats come in three varieties—milk chocolate, milk chocolate caramel sea salt and a variety pouch featuring six flavors (milk chocolate, milk chocolate caramel sea salt, milk chocolate honey almond nougat, dark milk chocolate pretzel toffee, dark chocolate and dark chocolate almond sea salt)—and will be available at select Target stores.

Heather Carter is the associate editor of Food & Beverage Insider at Informa Markets. She has worked in trade publishing for nearly a decade, covering a variety of topics, from tile to bedding. Reach her at [email protected].

Fiber is a crucial part of a healthy diet—and to help with fiber absorption, inulin is available as an alternative to sugar or fat that does not interfere with fiber intake. Known as a fructan, inulin is a naturally occurring carbohydrate found in vegetables and fruits.¹

Origins of inulin

Inulin is considered a normal part of the human diet, as it is naturally found in artichokes, asparagus, leeks, onions, garlic and chicory. In fact, inulin naturally occurs in 36,000 species of plants.² Humans have safely and regularly consumed inulin since the days of hunting and gathering. With a mostly plant-based diet, some early humans consumed far more inulin than modern humans at roughly 135 grams a day.³

Chicory’s reliably high inulin content makes it a popular source of dietary fiber. Inulin occurs in its most concentrated state in the chicory plant’s roots—from which the substance is extracted for industrial purposes.³

Benefits of inulin

A study from The Journal of Nutrition noted inulin is a replacement ingredient for fat and sugar that can enhance fiber, retain moisture and stabilize food textures.¹ Inulin consumption has shown to enhance the absorption of minerals and stimulate the immune system. Additionally, inulin has self-affirmed GRAS (generally recognized as safe) status in the U.S.¹

The ingredient is used as a prebiotic, meaning it can help stimulate the growth of beneficial intestinal bacteria while restricting the growth of harmful bacteria.⁴ Inulin increases gut health and promotes healthy bacterial growth, specifically the Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli species.⁴ These helpful bacteria allow the human body to fight off pathogens, stimulate immune responses and aid healthy digestion.

Inulin has exceptional organoleptic quality, meaning it enhances the sensory experience of food—including the texture, odor, smell and taste—without adding any flavor into the food product.⁵

Published research from a food and fiber summit in Washington, D.C., noted: “Adequate intake of dietary fiber is associated with digestive health and reduced risk for heart disease, stroke, hypertension, certain gastrointestinal [GI] disorders, obesity, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers. According to consumer research, the public is aware of the benefits of fiber and most people believe they consume enough fiber. However, national consumption surveys indicate that only about 5% of the population meets recommendations, and inadequate intakes have been called a public health concern.”⁶

As an ideal solution to address nutritional deficiencies in the American diet, inulin possesses different fiber characteristics, possibly contributing to a diet with well-rounded sources of fiber.

The benefits don’t stop there. High-fiber diets have been shown to decrease the likelihood of colon cancers.⁷ According to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, elevated total dietary fiber intake was associated with a "significantly reduced risk" of certain types of cancer, including colon cancer. Acting as a source of fiber, consistent consumption of inulin may contribute to a healthier colon.

Inulin as a fat replacement

Bonds linking fructose molecules in inulin prevent digestion by intestinal enzymes, meaning that inulin passes through the digestive tract without being metabolized.⁵ The calories, therefore, are not digested, making this ingredient an optimal option for low-calorie foods. Inulin allows low-fat food to still taste and feel like foods with their original fat levels because it increases stability and preserves the emulsion of the food product. A small amount of inulin added to low-fat dairy products improves the flavor and texture.⁵

Another unique characteristic of inulin is its ability to mimic fat in food products. When combined with a liquid such as water, inulin forms a gel-like substance that replicates the fatty mouthfeel of real fat in foods and ingredients.⁴ Plus, it maintains its melting and freezing properties. This allows for easy substitution of fat in foods. For consumers wanting to stick to a low-fat diet, butter, cream cheese, processed cheese and more don’t have to be off the table. Inulin creates impressive low-fat food alternatives that maintain the taste and feel of their original counterparts.

A “high performance” type of inulin was recently introduced to the market, making low-fat options even more viable. High performance inulin provides almost twice the fat-mimicking characteristics compared to other types of inulin while adding no sweetening aftertaste.⁵

Considering the risks

Inulin has been found safe by a multitude of studies.¹ Side effects like bloating and flatulence may occur at high doses, but these concerns are applicable when fiber of any kind is consumed quickly or in large quantities.

Inulin and oligofructose are gaining gradual acceptance as ‘‘dietary fibers,’’ and the mention of their ‘‘bifidogenic effect’’ (enhancing the growth of Bificobacteria) has become commonplace and legal in many countries.¹

The state of inulin market

In North America in 2021, the inulin market's estimated value was $285 million with the United States accounting for over 80% of the market, per a Transparency Market Research report. The global inulin market is estimated at around $1 billion. With the increasing demand for inulin in the pharmaceutical industry, rising consumption of sports nutrition and nutraceutical products, a desire for naturally derived products and high consumption of inulin as a fat replacer, word about inulin is spreading quickly and the market reflects these trends. As people recognize the value in inulin, it is impossible to ignore that the market is thriving.

The time is now

The options for formulating with inulin are essentially endless. With its fat-mimicking capabilities, inulin provides healthier options for those who want or need to consume less fat with little to no adverse side effects. Studies have shown the safety and reliability of inulin, which hunter-gatherers consumed in far greater quantities than generally seen today. Inulin can potentially aid colon wellness, boost immune systems and contribute to healthy blood sugar levels. And the additional benefits to texture and taste can provide extra appeal from a formulation perspective. For companies interested in formulating with inulin, the time is now.

For additional related content, check out the “Functional fiber gets friendlier” digital magazine.

Bob Wills has worked in the specialty chemical, food additive and ingredient distribution industry since 2008. He is the director of business development, human nutrition, for Barentz. Previously, he was a director of sales for Viachem, where his responsibilities included management of the food, beverage and nutritional market segments, coordinating and managing sales efforts, and pursuing growth opportunities on the producer and end-user level. Wills wants potential producer partners as well as end-users to make the most educated decisions possible about what goes into their products.

References

1 Coussement PAA. “Inulin and Oligofructose: Safe Intakes and Legal Status.” J Nutr. 1999;129(7):1412S-1417S.

2 Shoaib M et al. “Inulin: Properties, health benefits and food applications.” Carbohydr Polym. 2016;147:444-454.

3 Leach JD and Sobolik KD. “High dietary intake of prebiotic inulin-type fructans in the prehistoric Chihuahuan Desert.” Br J Nutr. 2010;103(11):1558-1561.

4 Wu XZ et al. “Effects of dietary inclusion of Lactobacillus and inulin on growth performance, gut microbiota, nutrient utilization, and immune parameters in broilers.” Poult Sci. 2019;98(10):4656-4663.

5 Niness KR. “Inulin and Oligofructose: What Are They?” J Nutr. 1999;129(7):1402-1406.

6 Quagliani D and Felt-Gunderson P. “Closing America's Fiber Intake Gap: Communication Strategies From a Food and Fiber Summit.” Am J Lifestyle Med. 2016;11(1):80-85.

7 Kunzmann TA et al. “Dietary fiber intake and risk of colorectal cancer and incident and recurrent adenoma in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial.” Am J Clin Nutr. 2015;102(4):881-890.