GTC Challenges Prebiotic Fiber Study

GTC Challenges Prebiotic Fiber Study

GOLDEN, Colo.GTC Nutritioncontested the results of a fructooligosaccharides (FOS) study published in theApril issue of the Journal of Nutrition,where Dutch scientists found FOS decreased resistance to pathogenic bacteria inrats by increasing intestinal permeability and mucin excretion, and increasedtranslocation of Salmonella bacteria to sites outside of the animalsintestines (135, 4:837-42, 2005) (www.nutrition.org).

The company, manufacturer of NutraFlora® short-chain FOS, argued not all FOSincrease resistance to Salmonella infection. Unlike the chicory-based FOS testedin the study, NutraFlora is derived from sugar and is marketed for inhibition ofSalmonella.

This recent study was conducted with chicory oligofructose, said LindaDouglas, Ph.D., R.D., scientific affairs manager for GTC Nutrition. To attribute the results of this study to prebiotic ingredients in generalis inappropriate given the significant differences among prebiotic products. A body of scientific evidence demonstrates that NutraFlora helps to preventSalmonella infections.