Fructo-oligosaccharides
Fructo-oligosaccharides (FOS) are carbohydrates that are also part of soluble fibers because they consist of small chains of fructose: real FOS are those containing from 3 to 10 fructose monomers and fructans those containing more than 10 monomers. They have prebiotic effect, i.e. their presence stimulates growth of beneficial intestinal flora, in particular consisting of bifid bacteria. Their intake is especially important in children (so much so that mother’s milk is naturally rich in FOS), and provides not only better intestinal balance but it seems related to effects like better absorption of some minerals (such as calcium and magnesium) and obstacle to proliferation of intestinal pathogens thanks to pH reduction caused by FOS metabolizing in short chain fatty acids. In addition to these effects, FOS can also have various technological roles: they can be easily incorporated not only in food where the combination probiotic-prebiotic is exploited (like dairy products such as yogurt and various fermented milks), but are also ideal for drinks and bakery products, given their resistance to high temperatures and therefore also to cooking. Furthermore, in the case of light products such as those with reduced sugar content, the presence of FOS (which do not produce calories as indigestible for human intestine) not only gives typical sweetness of such substances, but may also help conceal any unpleasant flavor due to the presence of sweeteners. Cereal flours, particularly wheat and rye, already have a certain content of FOS. To increase its content, it is possible to add to baked goods FOS extracted from the richest sources, in particular chicory and Jerusalem artichokes.
Folic acid
Folic acid (also known as vitamin B9 or folacin) is a water-soluble vitamin necessary for DNA synthesis, repair and methylation, and for many other important biochemical reactions, in particular involving intense phases of cell multiplication such as fetal and infant growth and generation of red blood cells. For these reasons, its deficiency can lead to serious forms of anemia, and in the case of prenatal development it can cause various neural tube malformations such as e.g. spina bifida. For these reasons the intake of folic acid is especially important during pregnancy and childhood, to the extent that various countries have taken governmental-level campaigns for fortification of some basic foods, including baked goods. This practice is rather widespread, so much so that sometimes there is the doubt that there could be overexposure of such vitamin (4) despite its high safety profile.
References
(1) Talbott SM et al., 2013. β-Glucan supplementation, allergy symptoms, and quality of life in self-described ragweed allergy sufferers. Food Science & Nutrition, 1(1):90-101
(2) Auinger A et al., 2013. Yeast (1,3)-(1,6)-beta-glucan helps to maintain the body’s defence against pathogens: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicentric study in healthy subjects. European Journal of Nutrition, E-pub ahead of print
(3) Mikusova L. et al., 2013. Nutritional, antioxidant, and glycaemic characteristics of new functional bread. Journal of Chemical Papers, E-pub ahead of print
(4) Fajardo V. et al., 2013. Lack of data on Folate in convenience foods: should ready-to-eat products be considered relevant for folate intake? The European challenge. Journal of Food Composition and Analysis. E-pub ahead of print
