A study published in the Journal of Food Processing and Preservation found that inulin powder can be made from Jerusalem artichoke tuber (Helianthus tuberosus). Moreover, this inulin powder can be used as a food additive.

• For the study, researchers at Thammasat University, Kasetsart University, and Mahidol University in Thailand developed a production process of purified inulin powder made from Jerusalem artichoke and looked at the effect of purification process on the inulin powder quality.
• Inulin is considered a prebiotic because it promotes activities and growth of beneficial microorganisms in the gut.
• It has also been used as a food additive, particularly as a low-calorie sweetener, fat replacer, and fiber enricher.
• In the study, the researchers produced the inulin powder by applying hot water extraction and purification steps which included basket centrifugation, carbonation, deionization, and decolorization prior to evaporation and spray drying.
• The researchers found that this production process provided the production yield of 37.6 percent of the total solids in Jerusalem artichoke tuber.
• The purity of inulin powder made using this production process was comparable with the commercial inulin product, which is typically made from chicory root.

Overall, the findings of the study suggest that inulin powder made from Jerusalem artichoke can be used as a natural food additive.

Visit FoodScience.news for more studies on food additives made from natural resources.

Journal Reference:

Khuenpet K, Jittanit W, Sirisansaneeyakul S, Srichamnong W. THE APPLICATION OF PURIFICATION PROCESS FOR INULIN POWDER PRODUCTION FROM JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE (HELIANTHUS TUBEROSUS L.) TUBER POWDER. Journal of Food Processing and Preservation. 27 September 2018; 42(8): e13695. DOI: 10.1111/jfpp.13695