Acacia Gum Granted EU Health Claim for Glycemic Reduction

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Food and beverage products featuring acacia gum, including Nexira’s (Rouen, France) Fibregum, can now carry a new EU health claim for glycemic regulation. According to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) the Fibregum range of acacia gums, standardized to a minimum of 90% dietary fibers, can now bear the following health claim regarding non-digestible carbohydrates:

“Consumption of foods/drinks containing acacia gum instead of sugars induces a lower blood-glucose rise after their consumption compared to sugar-containing foods/drinks.”

EFSA arrived at the new health claim based on a “scientific consensus” that, like other ingredients used as sugar alternatives, such as fructooligosaccharides (FOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS), acacia gum can be a suitable sugar replacement to induce reduction of postprandial glycemia and insulinemia.

EFSA explained that the capability to reduce postprandial glycemic responses by replacing sugars in foods and beverages “is not unique to [FOS] α-GOS, and resistant dextrin, but common to other non-digestible carbohydrates (e.g. non-starch polysaccharides, resistant oligosaccharides, resistant starch) because, similar to FOS, α-GOS, and resistant dextrin, non-digestible carbohydrates are resistant to hydrolysis and absorption in the small intestine, and therefore do not contribute to postprandial glycemia.”

Nexira notes that in order for food and beverage products to carry the new health claim, at least 30% of sugars would need to be replaced with acacia gum-making its Fibregum “particularly adapted” for products with low glycemic index or reduced glycemic index.

Additionally, Fibregum products can also carry an oral-care health claim in Europe, thanks to another recently approved EU health claim that says “consumption of foods/beverages containing acacia gum instead of fermentable carbohydrates contributes to the maintenance of tooth mineralization.”

In order to bear the claim, which Nexira says can be shortened to “tooth friendly” on Fibregum-containing foods and beverages, products in which acacia gum is replacing fermentable carbohydrates must not lower the plaque pH below 5.7 during and up to 30 minutes after consumption.

Read more:

Dietary Supplement Ingredients for Maintaining Blood Sugar

Acacia Gum Ingredients from Nexira Verified by Non-GMO Project

Chicory Root Fiber Granted Blood Glucose Health Claim in Europe

Michael Crane
Associate Editor
Nutritional Outlook Magazine
michael.crane@ubm.com