Codex dietary fibre definition – Justification for inclusion of carbohydrates from 3 to 9 degrees of polymerisation Elizabete Wenzel de Menezes ⇑ , Eliana Bistriche Giuntini, Milana Cara Tanasov Dan, Fabiana Andréa Hoffmann Sardá, Franco Maria Lajolo Depto. Alimentos e Nutrição Experimental, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil article info Article history: Available online 28 February 2013 Keywords: Dietary Definition Codex Alimentarius Carbohydrates Degree of polymerisation abstract The main controversy about the DF definition, adopted by the commission of Codex Alimentarius, refers to the inclusion of carbohydrates of 3–9 degrees of polymerisation (DP), decision which may be made individually by the authorities of each country. Due to the possibility of having two definitions and the negative impact it would cause over the harmonisation of nutritional information, a bibliographic review was carried, from 2009 to 2011, aiming to gather justifications for the inclusion of carbohydrates of 3–9 DP in the definition. The current review presents scientific bases that are directed to three topics: phys- iological aspects; repercussion over the analytical method; and impact on consumers and other users. The decision of including unavailable carbohydrates of 3–9 DP in the definition of DF may cause effective global harmonisation in the nutritional labelling, considering that the main goal is to help consumers choose healthy foods. Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The interest in knowing dietary fibre (DF) and its physiological effects has increased lately, and this fact reflects the increased number of scientific publications along the last decades. According to bibliographic research, using specific keywords (DF, definition, concept, analysis, methodology, claim and consumer) in PubMed, it was observed that, until 1979, only 820 articles were published; during the 1980’s, this number increased to 3075 articles; in the decades of 1990 and 2000, it increased to 4443 and 5616 articles, respectively; and during the years of 2010 and 2011, 1642 articles were published. This evolution reflects the importance of DF in the world and its participation in human health, considering its com- position, structure and physical–chemical properties, as well as physiological effects that contribute to decreasing the risk for non-transmissible chronic diseases (NTCD) and its use as a func- tional ingredient (Cho & Samuel, 2009; Grabitske & Slavin, 2009; Raninen, Lappi, Mykkänen, & Poutanen, 2011; Roberfroid et al., 2010). DF is composed by a complex and heterogeneous group of com- ponents and can be defined by its physiological characteristics, as well as by its chemical ones. The analytical methods used for DF quantification as a whole, or by individual specific components, have been continuously modified (DeVries, 2010; McCleary, 2010). Due to advanced researches on physiological and nutritional properties of specific DF components (fructans, resistant starch, polydextrose and others), several agencies and countries proposed broader definitions, correlated to the physiological effects (AACC, 2001; Commission of European Communities, 2008). Aiming to create a harmonised concept having all country members’ consent, the Codex Alimentarius provided wide discussions on definition and analytical methods of DF (Codex Alimentarius, 2009; McCleary, 2010; McCleary et al., 2010). At the 30th (Codex Alimentarius, 2008) and 31st meetings (Codex Alimentarius, 2009) of the Codex Committee on Nutrition and Foods for Special Dietary Uses – CCNFSDU, the definition of DF and analytical methods for quantification of total DF and indi- vidual specific components (Table 1) were agreed. The Commission of the Codex Alimentarius complied with the recommendation of CCNFSDU and adopted this definition of DF for nutrition labelling. The adopted definition is presented below: ‘‘Dietary fibre means carbohydrate polymers 1 with ten or more monomeric units 2 , which are not hydrolyzed by the endogenous 0308-8146/$ - see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2013.02.075 ⇑ Corresponding author. Address: Depto. Alimentos e Nutrição Experimental, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantan, 05508-000 São Paulo, SP, Brazil. Tel.: +55 11 3091 3624; fax: +55 11 3815 4410. E-mail address: wenzelde@usp.br (E.W. de Menezes). 1 When derived from a plant origin, dietary fibre may include fractions of lignin and/or other compounds associated with polysaccharides in the plant cell walls. These compounds also may be measured by certain analytical method(s) for dietary fibre. However, such compounds are not included in the definition of dietary fibre if extracted and re-introduced into a food. 2 Decision on whether to include carbohydrates from 3 to 9 monomeric units should be left to national authorities’’. Food Chemistry 140 (2013) 581–585 Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect Food Chemistry journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/foodchem