AACC International, using a scientific review committee constituted to provide a balance between academia, industry, and government and utilizing teleconferences, interactive workshops for scientific input, and an interactive website for global input, adopted the following definition:
"Dietary fiber is the edible parts of plants or analogous carbohydrates that are resistant to digestion and absorption in the human small intestine with complete or partial fermentation in the large intestine. Dietary fiber includes polysaccharides, oligosaccharides, lignin, and associated plant substances. Dietary fibers promote beneficial physiological effects including laxation, and/or blood cholesterol attenuation, and/or blood glucose attenuation."
Background on the definition:
The Definition of Dietary Fiber - Report of the Dietary Fiber Definition Committee, CFW, March 2001
A Historical Perspective on Defining Dietary Fiber, CFW, May 1999
AACC International’s responses to issues related to defining dietary fiber:
Position Statement on the Dietary Fibre Decision Tree, February 2012
AACC Intl. Provides Comments to Health Canada Regarding the Proposed Definition of Dietary Fiber, February 2011
AACC Intl Submits Comments to FDA on Nutrition Labeling, January 2008
AACC Intl. Provides Comments on the Proposed FAO/WHO Definition of Dietary Fiber, March 2007
AACC challenges FNB Food Fiber Definitions, May 20, 2003
AACC International Approves New Dietary Fiber Definition, June 1, 2000
