There's a significant disconnect between fiber's nutritional importance, the current cultural buzz, and actual consumer knowledge and behavior around fiber intake.
Most Americans do not know how much fiber they are getting. Additionally, the majority of Americans do not consume enough fiber.
This gap persists even as the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans give more prominence to fiber-rich foods (fruits, vegetables, whole grains) in the updated Food Pyramid, though specific daily fiber targets weren't included.
Fiber & Formulation
IAFNS and the Institute of Food Technologists collaborated to explore how food product developers can formulate using fibers that deliver human health benefits. Experienced academic and regulatory experts explored how to determine whether a specific “added” fiber has a human health benefit and can be counted as fiber on the label, and whether it has a “prebiotic” effect.
Blending Fibers
The experts also explored the advantages of blending fibers such as for medical food applications and introduced tools to help evaluate digestive tolerance and select a fiber with demonstrated human health effects through randomized clinical trials. A recorded webinar on this topic is available here.
Key Resources
IAFNS makes a database available to advance science on fiber. The IAFNS-funded Dietary Fibers & Human Health Outcomes Database provides a resource for researchers on fiber and the diet.
Join the Effort
Join IAFNS’ Carbohydrates Committee to advance science. Together, we can drive positive change and improve public health.