Event Detail

The important contribution of dietary fiber to overall health is recognized globally.  However government agencies around the world and international health bodies such as WHO have debated how to precisely define fiber using physiological and analytical approaches.  ILSI has contributed to this debate for more than a decade by providing expert input to the WHO on the health effects of fiber and co-sponsoring workshops with AACC International (formerly known as the American Association of Cereal Chemists) on definitions and analytical methods.

ILSI provided additional input to the debate in 2008.  ILSI South Africa, ILSI Europe, and ILSI North America worked together develop an educational workshop that was part of the satellite program to the 30th annual meeting of the Codex Alimentarius’ Committee on Nutrition and Food for Special Dietary Uses (CCNFSDU), held in South Africa (November 2008).  In addition to presentations on definitions of dietary fiber, the agenda included expert review of dietary oils and their health effects and a progress report on the harmonization of European micronutrient recommendations.

Over 100 CCNFSDU participants attended the workshop, and significantly, deliberations stemming from the CCNFSDU meeting resulted in the recommendation for a specific definition for dietary fiber.

PDF copies of the program and speaker presentations are available here.

Multilaboratory Validation-Integrated Procedure for Dietary Fiber Measurement