Inulin: therapeutic potential, prebiotic properties and immunological aspects

The protective influence of dietary components on diseases development is a topic of major interest. Identification of such dietary components, understanding of their mechanisms of action as well as their development and use in human diet are some of the objectives of functional food science. Inulin oligosaccharides are among the substrates considered as prebiotic for their non-digestible carbohydrate properties often found in many vegetables, fruits and cereals. There is convincing data to suggest that consumption of prebiotics such as inulin can modulate immunological parameters in gut-associated lymphoid tissues, microflora and may present potential health implications in protection against colon diseases. This review shows the prebiotic properties, therapeutic potential and immunological aspects of inulin.