Arabinoxylan Concentrate from Wheat as a Functional Food Ingredient to Improve Glucose Homeostasis

Knud Erik Bach Knudsen; Helle Nygaard Lærke; Mette Skou Hedemann; Kirstine Lykke Nielsen; Mirosław Marek Kasprzak; Per Bendix Jeppesen; Merete Lindberg Hartvigsen; Kjeld Hermansen

doi:10.3390/nu17091561

Arabinoxylan Concentrate from Wheat as a Functional Food Ingredient to Improve Glucose Homeostasis

Knud Erik Bach Knudsen^*
, Helle Nygaard Lærke
, Mette Skou Hedemann
, Kirstine Lykke Nielsen
, Mirosław Marek Kasprzak
, Per Bendix Jeppesen
, Merete Lindberg Hartvigsen
, Kjeld Hermansen

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Review › Research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Background: Arabinoxylan (AX) concentrates from wheat can be produced from co-products from the starch and gluten industries. These fractions are rich in AX, have high solubility, can be incorporated into bread and breakfast cereals, and have the potential to enhance functional and nutritional effects beyond what is possible with cereal species. Methods: The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature on AX concentrates from wheat in terms of production, incorporation in breads, and influence on glucose homeostasis in human subjects and animals. Results: Breads enriched in AX fiber have been found to increase the viscosity of digesta from the small intestine but with no effect on the digestibility of starch. In the large intestine, AX is, to a large extent, degraded, producing short-chain fatty acids. Across acute human and animal studies, the intake of AX concentrates has been shown to reduce the rate and extent of glucose absorption and insulin responses in a dose-dependent fashion. No general influence of AX on incretins has been identified, and the role of AX-enriched diets in appetite sensation is unclear. Medium- and long-term human and animal intervention studies demonstrated improved glucose homeostasis (fructosamine and glycated hemoglobin A1c) during the consumption of AX-enriched diets compared to placebo. Although AX concentrates across studies improved glucose homeostasis, a confounding factor to be further investigated is to what extent protein being present in relatively high concentrations in some of the produced AX-rich wheat fractions, partly or fully, is responsible for the observed homeostatic effects.

Original language	English
Article number	1561
Journal	Nutrients
Volume	17
Issue	9
Number of pages	20
ISSN	2072-6643
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/nu17091561
Publication status	Published - May 2025

Keywords

animals
arabinoxylan
dietary fiber
glucose
homeostasis
humans
insulin

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@article{5006977cae454aceba12e6c782637129,

title = "Arabinoxylan Concentrate from Wheat as a Functional Food Ingredient to Improve Glucose Homeostasis",

abstract = "Background: Arabinoxylan (AX) concentrates from wheat can be produced from co-products from the starch and gluten industries. These fractions are rich in AX, have high solubility, can be incorporated into bread and breakfast cereals, and have the potential to enhance functional and nutritional effects beyond what is possible with cereal species. Methods: The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature on AX concentrates from wheat in terms of production, incorporation in breads, and influence on glucose homeostasis in human subjects and animals. Results: Breads enriched in AX fiber have been found to increase the viscosity of digesta from the small intestine but with no effect on the digestibility of starch. In the large intestine, AX is, to a large extent, degraded, producing short-chain fatty acids. Across acute human and animal studies, the intake of AX concentrates has been shown to reduce the rate and extent of glucose absorption and insulin responses in a dose-dependent fashion. No general influence of AX on incretins has been identified, and the role of AX-enriched diets in appetite sensation is unclear. Medium- and long-term human and animal intervention studies demonstrated improved glucose homeostasis (fructosamine and glycated hemoglobin A1c) during the consumption of AX-enriched diets compared to placebo. Although AX concentrates across studies improved glucose homeostasis, a confounding factor to be further investigated is to what extent protein being present in relatively high concentrations in some of the produced AX-rich wheat fractions, partly or fully, is responsible for the observed homeostatic effects.",

keywords = "animals, arabinoxylan, dietary fiber, glucose, homeostasis, humans, insulin",

author = "Knudsen, \{Knud Erik Bach\} and L{\ae}rke, \{Helle Nygaard\} and Hedemann, \{Mette Skou\} and Nielsen, \{Kirstine Lykke\} and Kasprzak, \{Miros{\l}aw Marek\} and Jeppesen, \{Per Bendix\} and Hartvigsen, \{Merete Lindberg\} and Kjeld Hermansen",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2025 by the authors.",

year = "2025",

month = may,

doi = "10.3390/nu17091561",

language = "English",

volume = "17",

journal = "Nutrients",

issn = "2072-6643",

publisher = "M D P I AG",

number = "9",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Arabinoxylan Concentrate from Wheat as a Functional Food Ingredient to Improve Glucose Homeostasis

AU - Knudsen, Knud Erik Bach

AU - Lærke, Helle Nygaard

AU - Hedemann, Mette Skou

AU - Nielsen, Kirstine Lykke

AU - Kasprzak, Mirosław Marek

AU - Jeppesen, Per Bendix

AU - Hartvigsen, Merete Lindberg

AU - Hermansen, Kjeld

PY - 2025/5

Y1 - 2025/5

N2 - Background: Arabinoxylan (AX) concentrates from wheat can be produced from co-products from the starch and gluten industries. These fractions are rich in AX, have high solubility, can be incorporated into bread and breakfast cereals, and have the potential to enhance functional and nutritional effects beyond what is possible with cereal species. Methods: The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature on AX concentrates from wheat in terms of production, incorporation in breads, and influence on glucose homeostasis in human subjects and animals. Results: Breads enriched in AX fiber have been found to increase the viscosity of digesta from the small intestine but with no effect on the digestibility of starch. In the large intestine, AX is, to a large extent, degraded, producing short-chain fatty acids. Across acute human and animal studies, the intake of AX concentrates has been shown to reduce the rate and extent of glucose absorption and insulin responses in a dose-dependent fashion. No general influence of AX on incretins has been identified, and the role of AX-enriched diets in appetite sensation is unclear. Medium- and long-term human and animal intervention studies demonstrated improved glucose homeostasis (fructosamine and glycated hemoglobin A1c) during the consumption of AX-enriched diets compared to placebo. Although AX concentrates across studies improved glucose homeostasis, a confounding factor to be further investigated is to what extent protein being present in relatively high concentrations in some of the produced AX-rich wheat fractions, partly or fully, is responsible for the observed homeostatic effects.

AB - Background: Arabinoxylan (AX) concentrates from wheat can be produced from co-products from the starch and gluten industries. These fractions are rich in AX, have high solubility, can be incorporated into bread and breakfast cereals, and have the potential to enhance functional and nutritional effects beyond what is possible with cereal species. Methods: The aim of this review is to summarize the available literature on AX concentrates from wheat in terms of production, incorporation in breads, and influence on glucose homeostasis in human subjects and animals. Results: Breads enriched in AX fiber have been found to increase the viscosity of digesta from the small intestine but with no effect on the digestibility of starch. In the large intestine, AX is, to a large extent, degraded, producing short-chain fatty acids. Across acute human and animal studies, the intake of AX concentrates has been shown to reduce the rate and extent of glucose absorption and insulin responses in a dose-dependent fashion. No general influence of AX on incretins has been identified, and the role of AX-enriched diets in appetite sensation is unclear. Medium- and long-term human and animal intervention studies demonstrated improved glucose homeostasis (fructosamine and glycated hemoglobin A1c) during the consumption of AX-enriched diets compared to placebo. Although AX concentrates across studies improved glucose homeostasis, a confounding factor to be further investigated is to what extent protein being present in relatively high concentrations in some of the produced AX-rich wheat fractions, partly or fully, is responsible for the observed homeostatic effects.

KW - animals

KW - arabinoxylan

KW - dietary fiber

KW - glucose

KW - homeostasis

KW - humans

KW - insulin

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105005023501

U2 - 10.3390/nu17091561

DO - 10.3390/nu17091561

M3 - Review

C2 - 40362870

AN - SCOPUS:105005023501

SN - 2072-6643

VL - 17

JO - Nutrients

JF - Nutrients

IS - 9

M1 - 1561

ER -

Arabinoxylan Concentrate from Wheat as a Functional Food Ingredient to Improve Glucose Homeostasis

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