Fructooligosaccharides: A comprehensive review

Fructooligosaccharides (composed of short fructose chains) are useful for a variety of purposes. They are a type of carbohydrate known as oligosaccharides. Nowadays, people around the world are much more health-conscious and expect the food they consume to be tasty, safe as well as healthy. Fructooligosaccharides have become a prominent player in the functional food industry because of the growing demand for healthy and quality food. Due to its functional properties and health benefits, it is incorporated in various products like Dairy products, Bakery products, Beverages and Juices, Jams and Jellies, Candies, Chocolates, Breakfast cereals, Meat products, Ice cream, Confectionery. This article aims to review the numerous plant sources of Fructooligosaccharides available in nature, its structure, production, mode of action, attention-grabbing properties as well as their application as food ingredients, with special attention is being paid to the health benefits of these compounds.