Prebiotics & Dietary Fiber
Broad-Spectrum Bifidus Factor Prebiotic & The Most Widely Applied Water-Soluble Functional Oligosaccharide
Isomalto-oligosaccharides (abbreviated as IMO) are branched-chain functional oligosaccharides produced from corn starch and cassava starch via liquefaction by α-amylase, saccharification by glucoamylase, followed by transglycosylation catalyzed by α-glucosidase. Its main components include isomaltose, isomaltotriose, panose and isomaltotetraose.
Food additive CNS No. 20.008, INS No. 953, CAS No. 499-40-1. It complies with the national standard GB 1903.25-2016 National Food Safety Standard – Food Additive Isomalto-oligosaccharides. Classified as sweetener, dietary fiber fortifier and prebiotic under GB 2760, IMO is a mature industrially mass-produced classic bifidus factor with the highest adaptability for full-scenario food applications. It features excellent physical and chemical processing compatibility and outstanding gastrointestinal tolerance for the general population.
Main Components: Mixture of branched-chain isomalto-oligosaccharides with polymerization degree DP2~DP5, with isomaltose and panose as core active prebiotic fractions
Key Indicators: Total IMO content ≥90.0% (customizable specifications: 50%/90% syrup liquid and 90% spray-dried powder). High proportion of branched sugars and low linear glucose impurities
Appearance: White powder or light yellow transparent viscous syrup, with sweetness equivalent to 45%~55% of sucrose, fresh and mellow taste, free of peculiar odor, delamination, turbidity and sediment
Stability: Excellent resistance to high temperature, acid and alkali, structurally stable in food systems at pH 4.0~8.5. Powder version has a 24-month shelf life when stored in cool, dry, sealed and dark conditions; liquid syrup maintains superior stability under ambient temperature and shaded storage
Solubility: Freely soluble in both cold and hot water to form clear and transparent aqueous solution. pH value of 10% aqueous solution ranges from 4.5 to 6.5. It presents good dispersibility and fluidity, and is highly compatible with various food matrices such as starch systems, dairy bases, oils, colloids and powder formulations
➢ Regulation: Fully compliant with Chinese national standards, and approved for safety by global authoritative bodies including FDA GRAS, JECFA, EFSA and South Korea MFDS. GB 2760 allows appropriate dosage according to production requirements for most food categories, facilitating convenient cross-border export declaration.
➢ Processing: Superior thermal, acid and alkali resistance, capable of withstanding rigorous processes including high-temperature cooking, UHT sterilization, baking, sugar boiling & sauce making, and spray drying. It resists decomposition, coking and browning under high temperature with high production fault tolerance.
➢ Health Profile: Extremely broad applicable population with minimal bloating side effects. Safe for long-term consumption by adults, children and the elderly, delivering continuous targeted regulation on intestinal flora with stable and long-lasting prebiotic efficacy.
➢ Clean Label: Can be directly labeled as "Isomalto-oligosaccharides", "Water-Soluble Dietary Fiber" or "Prebiotic" on ingredient lists. Derived from grain starch with prominent natural attributes, it caters to the market demand for clean label products.
➢ Synergy: Great compatibility with various sweeteners, resistant dextrin, FOS, GOS, probiotics, pectin, CMC and other auxiliary materials. Compound application synergistically amplifies intestinal conditioning effects and optimizes product texture and structure.
As branched-chain oligosaccharides, IMO features mild and moderate osmotic pressure. Compared with highly active short-chain prebiotics, high-dose intake rarely causes bloating, excessive flatulence, abdominal pain or diarrhea. It is a universal prebiotic for all populations with minimal burden for long-term dietary supplementation.
It dissolves rapidly in cold and hot water to form clear solutions. Its molecular structure remains stable under high-temperature baking, acidic sauce preparation, high-temperature sterilization and candy boiling processes without hydrolysis, degradation or sediment generation, and will not alter the original color, aroma and taste of finished products. It ranks as the most versatile prebiotic raw material in the food industry.
Only a small portion can be decomposed and absorbed by small intestinal digestive enzymes in the human body, while most reaches the large intestine for fermentation. Its calorific value is far lower than sucrose with a gentle glycemic index that prevents sharp postprandial blood sugar spikes. It can partially replace white granulated sugar in sugar-controlled formulas, weight-loss meal replacements and light healthy food products.
After reaching the colon intact, it is selectively utilized as exclusive carbon sources for massive proliferation of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacilli, inhibiting colonization and growth of putrefactive and harmful bacteria such as Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli and Bacteroides. It reconstructs a healthy intestinal microecology and generates abundant short-chain fatty acids via fermentation to deliver reliable intestinal conditioning outcomes.
It has a fresh sweetness close to sucrose without bitter aftertaste or metallic off-notes. It gently masks undesirable lingering flavors from high-intensity sweetener systems, enhances the richness of candies, pastries, beverages and dairy products, and does not overpower the natural flavor of raw materials.
Oral salivary enzymes cannot ferment IMO to produce acid that erodes tooth enamel, effectively reducing plaque formation. Widely applied in anti-cavity formulas for children’s snacks, chewing gums, compressed candies and mouthwashes.
As a mass-produced grain-derived prebiotic dietary fiber suitable for all age groups, IMO exerts multiple systematic physiological regulatory effects on human bodies:
Fermented by beneficial intestinal flora to produce short-chain fatty acids, lowering colonic pH value, accelerating intestinal peristalsis and softening stool to improve habitual constipation among sedentary populations and the elderly. It tightens the epithelial junctions of intestinal mucosa, reducing risks of intestinal leakage and chronic intestinal inflammation.
Based on balanced intestinal flora, it activates immune cells in gut-associated lymphoid tissue to elevate the body’s non-specific resistance, mitigating seasonal respiratory discomfort and recurrent gastrointestinal hypersensitivity. It delivers notable benefits for the elderly with declining immune function.
The acidified intestinal microenvironment promotes dissociation of calcium, iron, zinc and magnesium ions, enhancing their transmembrane absorption efficiency. It supports bone growth in adolescents, slows bone loss in the elderly and assists in the improvement of iron-deficiency anemia.
It reduces reabsorption of cholesterol and triglycerides in the intestines to lower lipid accumulation in blood. It generates lasting satiety in the stomach and delays gastric emptying to curb excessive intake of high-calorie foods, perfectly fitting weight management formulas.
It suppresses metabolic activities of putrefactive gut bacteria, curbing accumulation of toxic metabolites such as ammonia, phenols and indole, easing the detoxification load of the liver and ameliorating sub-health conditions caused by long-term staying up late and high-fat diets.
➢ Infant & Maternal Food
Complementary snacks, rice cereal and teething biscuits for infants: Compliant prebiotic addition gently protects children’s delicate intestines, relieves constipation and indigestion during complementary feeding period with mild kid-friendly sweetness.
Nutritional milk powder for pregnant women, postpartum solid beverages: Gently regulates intestinal peristalsis during pregnancy and postpartum, alleviates prevalent puerperal constipation and improves overall nutrient absorption efficiency.
➢ Dairy Products
Ambient yogurt, stirred fermented milk and lactic acid bacteria drinks: Provides carbon sources for fermentation strains to accelerate fermentation, improve yogurt viscosity and smooth mouthfeel, reduce whey separation and stabilize viable flora throughout shelf life.
Modified milk, middle-aged and elderly milk powder, high-calcium milk powder: Endows prebiotic functional claims, reinforces dietary fiber, optimizes reconstitution solubility of milk powder and ensures compatibility with non-dairy systems.
Puddings, dairy desserts and condensed dairy products: Improves paste viscosity, cuts cloying sweetness and extends product shelf stability.
➢ Baked Goods & Leisure Snacks
Bread, cakes, crisp biscuits and walnut cakes: Partially replaces sucrose to lower formula calories, maintains structural stability under high-temperature baking, resists moisture absorption and softening, and prolongs the crispy shelf life of pastries.
Meal replacement sourdough bread, grain energy bars and cereal crisps: Boosts dietary fiber content, strengthens satiety, adds gut health functional labeling and caters to consumers pursuing weight loss and wellness.
➢ Functional Drinks & Beverages
Intestinal care oral liquids and probiotic solid beverages: Synergizes with probiotics to raise the survival rate of live strains reaching the intestines and amplify flora colonization effects.
Compound fruit & vegetable juices, herbal cold teas and sparkling drinks: Remains stable under acidic and alkaline conditions without degradation in acidic systems, fine-tunes fresh sweet taste and enriches product health attributes.
Protein solid beverages and mixed grain instant powders: Excellent dissolution and dispersion performance with minimal caking, enhancing the smoothness of powder reconstitution.
➢ Confectionery & Meal Replacement Products
Hard candies, gummies, nougat and sugar-free compressed tablets: Thermally stable during sugar boiling without decomposition, masks bitter aftertaste of erythritol, steviol glycosides and other sweeteners, and delivers dual tooth-protection benefits.
Complete nutritional meal replacement powder and protein meal replacement shakes: Compatible with diverse protein and grain substrates, supplements dietary fiber without compromising the overall flavor and dissolution system of meal replacements.
➢ Condiments & Meat Products
Salad dressings, tomato sauce, oyster sauce and compound thick soups: Resists hydrolysis after high-temperature sterilization and long-term storage, stabilizes sauce viscosity and extends shelf life.
Ham, luncheon meat and low-temperature ready-to-eat meat products: Regulates water activity, improves the dry and astringent texture of low-fat meat products, and enhances slicing moldability and mellow flavor.
Single-ingredient prebiotic powder, chewable tablets and hard capsules: Cost-effective basic gut care raw material for long-term daily dietary supplementation for the general public.
Compound probiotic preparations: Classic prebiotic carrier that drastically improves the intestinal colonization efficiency of probiotics and strengthens practical conditioning efficacy.
Multivitamin tablets for the elderly and bone health nutrients: Synergizes with minerals to deliver combined benefits for intestinal health and trace element absorption.
Weight management meal replacements and absorption-blocking dietary products: Enhances satiety, assists lipid metabolism regulation and simplifies formula composition.
Puppy & adult dog food, weaning milk cake feed and complete cat food: Optimizes pets’ intestinal flora, reduces loose stools, stress-induced diarrhea and foul fecal odor, and elevates feed digestibility and absorption rate.
Pet teething treats, therapeutic prescription feed and senior pet maintenance food: Sustains long-term digestive tract homeostasis for companion animals and lowers the incidence of degenerative gastrointestinal diseases in aged pets.
Foods for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) and postoperative enteral nutrition solutions: Serves as a mild prebiotic component to maintain intestinal flora balance for bedridden and postoperative patients and preserve the integrity of intestinal mucosal barrier.
Oral pharmaceutical excipients for granules and dry suspensions: Safe flavoring agent to mask bitter tastes of traditional Chinese medicine and chemical drugs, with stable physicochemical properties and no adverse reactions with active pharmaceutical ingredients.
Starter feed for piglets, chicks and calves: Alleviates weaning stress diarrhea in young livestock, promotes mature development of digestive tracts, reduces antibiotic consumption and disease incidence on farms.
Compound feed for aquatic fish and shrimp: Optimizes digestive function of aquatic organisms, improves feed conversion ratio, cuts pollutant discharge into water bodies and supports eco-friendly and healthy aquaculture.
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