Inulin is a plant polysaccharide, mainly from the plant, has been found to have more than 36,000 species, including dicotyledonous plants in the Compositae, Campanulaceae, Gentianaceae and other 11 families and monocotyledons Liliaceae, Wo Wood. For example, in the roots of Jerusalem artichoke tuber, Tianzhu peony (Dali chrysanthemum) roots, thistle roots are rich in inulin.

  Inulin The dried inulin is a white amorphous powder. Usually the short-chain inulin is more soluble than the long-chain inulin, the solubility of the inulin will increase with the temperature, the common inulin at 10 ℃ solubility of about 6%, at 90 ℃ 33%.

Short-chain inulin contains more monosaccharides and disaccharides, sweetness is about 30% to 50% of sucrose, ordinary inulin slightly sweet, about 10% of sugar sweetness, long-chain inulin almost no Sweetness.

  Inulin When the concentration of inulin solution reaches 10% -30%, began to form a gel, the concentration of 40% -50% that can form a very solid gel. The gel viscosity decreases with increasing temperature. Long chain inulin has a relatively small solubility in water to form imperfect microcrystals, and these microcrystals interact with each other to form a smooth, creamy structure that is similar in flavor to fat.

   Inulin has a strong hygroscopicity and has the ability to combine free water to reduce water activity. This can take full advantage of food processing to delay the evaporation of water to prevent product sour taste, extend the shelf life and shelf life of food.

   Inulin Inoculation of inulin can effectively reduce serum total cholesterol (TC) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), improve high-density lipoprotein / low density lipoprotein ratio, improve blood lipid status. Hidaka et al. Reported that 50-90-year-old elderly patients, daily intake of 8g short-chain dietary fiber, two weeks after the blood levels of triglycerides and total cholesterol levels. Yamashita and others to 18 diabetic patients eat 8g inulin for two weeks, total cholesterol decreased by 7.9%, but HDL-cholesterol did not change. While the food control group, the above parameters did not change. Brighenti et al. Observed that 12 healthy young men had 9 g of inulin for 4 weeks in daily cereal breakfast, 8.2% in total cholesterol and 26.5% in triglycerides.

    Inulin Many dietary fiber through the absorption of intestinal fat, the formation of fat - fiber complex with the feces wiped out, thereby reducing blood lipid levels. Moreover, the inulin at the end of the intestine itself to fermented into short-chain fatty acids and lactate, lactate is a regulator of liver metabolism. Short chain fatty acids (acetate and propionate) can be used as fuel in the blood, propionate inhibits cholesterol synthesis.