Sources of scFOS

Fructans serve storage and protective functions in many commonly consumed

plants. Thus, fructans are a typical part of the diet. Some food sources of fructans are

higher in scFOS, while others are richer in high-molecular-weight fructans, such as

inulin. scFOS is present in selected foods that include onion, artichoke, garlic, wheat,

and banana, and is typically present at low levels (Table 2.1). In contrast, some prepared

meals are particularly high in total fructan content. For example, a bowl of

French onion soup could contain 6 to 18 g of fructans (Van Loo et al., 1995).

Estimated daily intakes of fructans in the United States have been calculated

by applying analytical values for various foods to food consumption databases.

According to the three references below, mean total fructan intake likely ranges

between 1 to 5 g/day with scFOS intake < 1 g/day. Van Loo et al. (1995) estimated that consumption of fructans ranged between 1 to 4 g/day, mostly coming from wheat (76 to 78 percent), onion (10 to 18 percent), and

banana (3 to 5 percent); 10 percent of the population was estimated to eat double

this amount, between 2 and 8 g/day.

Moshfegh et al. (1999) estimated the separate consumption of oligofructose and inulin in the United States using the U.S. Department of Agriculture database,

19941996 Continuing Survey of Food Intakes by Individuals. Estimated mean intakes were 2.5 g/day (range 1 to 4 g) for oligofructose and 2.6 g/day (range 1 to

4 g) for inulin. Thus, the combined total intake of fructans was estimated to be

similar to that of Van Loo et al. (1995), and approximately 50 percent of fructans

consumed would be DP < 10. Food sources contributing oligofructose were mostly

wheat (71 percent), onion (24 percent), banana (2 percent), and garlic (2 percent).