Beneficial health characteristics of native and hydrolysed konjac (Amorphophallus konjac) glucomannan

Abstract The impact of ingesting glucomannans on health is not limited to colonic‐focused fermentation into short‐chain fatty acids ( SCFAs ), which might have some local health benefits; it also helps in treating disease states and enhancing the body's immune system, both within the gut and in/on other parts of the body. The local and systemic roles of hydrolysed glucomannans, especially konjac glucomannans, in the mouth, oesophagus, stomach, small intestine, large intestine, gut‐associated lymphoid tissue ( GALT ), skin and vagina, are highlighted. Therapeutic applications are discussed. © 2015 Society of Chemical Industry